


Born in Black & White

by Better_On_Page



Series: Kailock [1]
Category: Sherlock (TV)
Genre: Adventure, Angst, F/M, Friendship, Humor, Hurt/Comfort, OFC - Freeform, Original Characters - Freeform, Romance, Tragedy, Violence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-12-27
Updated: 2014-03-17
Packaged: 2018-01-06 08:08:36
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 43
Words: 217,711
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1104467
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Better_On_Page/pseuds/Better_On_Page
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Kairi Aria had been working for Scotland Yard for almost a year without incident. She had been very successful in remaining unnoticed by her coworkers until she is required for a case with the dubious Sherlock Holmes. A blundering, violent interaction throws the two together, resulting in one of the most dangerous cases Sherlock has ever come across. **Rated Explicit for sexual content, violence, dark themes, abuse, and language**</p><p>If you would like to see the simple cover-art for this story, please <a href="https://www.fanfiction.net/s/9074031/1/Born-in-Black-and-White">click Here</a></p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Please point out any mistakes you see. I go over this frequently, but its usually late at night when I have the time and I miss things. There's always one thing I get wrong ;)
> 
> Is is a DARK story, there is violence and pain, as well as rape. I did not previously tag these things well because I was unfamiliar with AO3 format and I apologize for that grievous error. PLEASE READ WITH CAUTION.

Kairi stood at the sink, scrubbing furiously at the stain widening on her breast. She whined a little bit at its position. The longer she stared, the longer she rubbed at it, the more and more in looked like a nipple. She sighed heavily, throwing the wet paper towels into the sink in defeat. She leaned forward, her hands providing balance as she stared at herself in the mirror, her eyes kept being drawn to the perfectly positioned stain.

She grabbed the paper towels again, rubbing at the nipple-esque stain and letting out a dismayed cry as she stomped her foot in frustration. The sound of her stomp echoed off of the walls of the bathroom, causing her to flinch and feel stupid. It was just a stain! It can't be that bad! No one was going to even notice. Kairi adjusted her clothing and gave her most winning smile to the mirror. She looked a bit off with her bleached blonde hair and crystalline eyes shining back at her. Most people would call her striking or maybe stupid for choosing such an obnoxious hair color with her clear eyes and pale skin. She wore bright red lipstick to break up the monotony of her face, accentuating her full lips and her thousand watt smile. She nodded to herself, trying to remain positive.

Then she looked down again and whimpered. "Seriously?" The stain looked like it was spreading, getting rounder, and darkening in the middle. Now it really looked like a nipple. She wanted to kick something but she was afraid to strike the innards of Scotland Yard lest the building collapse around her. Though they gave the building a major face lift just a few years ago, it was all smoke and mirrors. Recycled fixtures that were considered new a few years ago and cheap paint that had already started to bubble in some odd places. She leaned back down onto the sink, wishing she could crawl inside the basin and just stay there for a little while.

A sound behind her startled her and she shot up, standing straight, and gripping the sides of the porcelain sink. She held her breath for a moment when a door to a stall opened and her worst fear came true.

Someone was coming out of the stall, a witness to her cursing and murmuring threats to her lactated coffee stain. Kairi hoped against all hopes that it was not one of the inane secretaries that hated her. She had enough problems at Scotland Yard, being the only American there, and a socially awkward one at that. Now she'd be the American intern with the nipple stain who didn't know how to speak in public. She closed her eyes and wished to be invisible. Being a poorly paid intern meant that she interacted with a lot of officers, she handled the scraps of cases from every department that no one wanted to deal with and no one seemed to like her, well, that's if they even noticed her.

Her heart was beating a little faster and she sucked in her bottom lip to gnaw on it. The door opened and Kairi saw the top of the unknown's head as they began to look up: curly brown hair, then chocolate skin, dark eyes, and a patronizing smile tweaking her lips.

Sally Donovan.

She smiled wryly at Kairi, "Alright there Aria?"

Kairi tried not to glare at her, "Fine." She muttered through grit teeth. Donovan was not one of the people that Kairi got along with. The damn woman just rubbed her the wrong way and Kairi seemed to do the same to her.

"Nice bit you got there." Donovan didn't even try to hide her snicker.

Kairi nodded, a tight smile on her lips, "Yeah, guess its my lucky day."

They washed their hands at the same time, Kairi keeping her head down and pretending not to notice Donovan glancing at her and chuckling. Kairi kept her eyes shut and dried her hands slowly, biding time until Donovon left the restroom so she could run to her desk and hide.

Once Donovan exited, heading in the opposite direction of Kairi's desk, she made a bolt for the door and walked briskly to her desk, sitting down and wrapping her sweater around her now less than white blouse. She stared down at her chest buttoning and positioning the sweater in order to conceal her indiscretion. She sighed heavily when it seemed like she couldn't conceal it any better and she glanced at her desk. The damn thing was covered in files. She was starting to think that people just left their shit there, believing the desk didn't actually belong to anyone. She pulled out a hair band and wrapped her shoulder length hair up on the top of her head in a chaotic looking bun that didn't deserve a second attempt. She slid on her glasses and she attacked the files breeding on her desk, cross checking them with the database to see what she actually needed to do with them.

She flipped through files, updating them, and placing them into organized piles. Her position was an odd one, obtained by an old and distant friend of her father's. She was a glorified file clerk, mostly in charge of obtaining research and background for the Murder Investigations Team, the homicide division of Scotland Yard. She would be loaned out here and there to help when homicide was slow and other divisions were overloaded, but for the most part she spent her time being bossed around by Detective Inspector Lestrade. Not that she minded much. The job was good, the pay was enough to keep her fed and her rent paid, Lestrade was actually pretty nice to her, and in the end she was a faceless member of the workforce which was perfect. She was happy to stay out of the drama that always seemed to permeate Scotland Yard.

Said drama was about six feet in height with dark shaggy hair and a voice like sin. If not for his troglodytic looks and his uncanny ability to severely insult everyone he met within his first breath, Kairi would be interested in receiving saucy phone calls on lonely nights. The main problem, aside from his harsh features and a personality that would make Mussolini seem like a kitten, was that fact that his entrance to Scotland Yard caused Kairi all sorts of discomfort. When his gaze would shift her way, she was utterly ecstatic to be of no concern to the precinct. She'd melt into walls, retreat into rooms, and do just about anything possible to stay out of his way.

She knew of his reputation, flawless and flawed at the same time. His brilliance was well renowned but most people disliked him greatly. He was a terror to work with but a force to behold and she couldn't help the tiny bit of fascination over the mystery that surrounded him. She had started working for Scotland Yard for just a few weeks before the drama, Sherlock Holmes, literally came back from the dead. She didn't know the details of what happened a few years ago when he fell to his supposed death, but there were whispers of his defamation because of Richard Brook, later proven to be James Moriarty, the criminal mastermind. From what she gathered, it was pretty clearly divided between the "I Believe in Sherlock Holmes" camp and the opposite side, despite the evidence that was presented.

She mindlessly clacked away at her keyboard, sorting what she was given and trying to keep herself busy. She paused for a moment, feeling a cold shiver creep up her spine. She glanced up to the entrance and saw Lestrade entering the pen. He seemed to be looking for someone and she watched him, licking his lips in deep thought until his eyes rested on hers. He smile faintly and nodded to her and Kairi just sort of nodded her head and went back to typing. She tried to stay calm as she looked up again and Lestrade had turned to speak to someone who wasn't in her view. She took a deep breath and refocused until she heard the tell-tale signs of someone walking on the linoleum in her direction. She kept typing quickly, leaning into her screen to hopefully hide herself behind the bulky monitor. It was 2013 and the monitor she was using looked like it was from the 90s, so that's how effective her camouflage was and it also indicated the high esteem in which she was held.

Someone cleared their throat and Kairi peeked around her monitor smiling awkwardly at the group standing before her. The aforementioned drama was front and center, staring at her with narrowed eyes, flicking across her entire body. She could practically hear the snap shots being taken in his mind.

To his left was Lestrade, who smiled at her in his charming way. To the right was Holmes' partner in crime or life or whatever the tabloids speculated, John Watson. Kairi was able to smile at him, he had kind eyes and a gentle grin, staring at her almost expectantly.

There was a full beat of awkward silence as everyone stared at Kairi and she tried not to fidget in her seat.

"Hello Kairi." Lestrade finally said, sitting on the corner of her desk that wasn't teeming with dockets.

As if electrified, Kairi bolted out of her seat, the discomfort she felt causing her muscles to react a bit too drastically for her liking. She cleared her throat, adjusted the glasses on her nose that went slightly askew, "Hello Lestrade." She nodded to him and then looked to his companions, "I don't think we've been formally introduced, I'm Kairi." She made her way around her desk smoothly.

"Dr. John Watson," He smiled wide, eyeing Kairi appreciatively.

"Pleasure to meet you Dr. Watson." Kairi reached out her hand and he shook it.

"Please, call me John." He gave her a very handsome grin, "And the pleasures all mine."

"John then." Kairi tried not to blush, glancing at Lestrade who rolled his eyes. Obviously the tabloids had never seen the way John looked at women. She chuckled slightly and turned to the imposing figure in the center. His eyes were still ticking away at her and he had a slight grimace on his face, she wanted to throw something at him to stop his assessment, but that would make a poor first impression - not that it mattered. Her eyes narrowed, waiting for someone to say something, but Sherlock Holmes remained silent. She cleared her throat and looked to Lestrade, "How can I help?"

Lestrade had a playful grin on his face as he glanced to Sherlock Holmes who was still looking at her, "You've got a computer background yeah?" Kairi nodded, not feeling like going deeper into her actual expertise, "Our resident genius could use some help."

Kairi's eyebrows lifted in surprise, "Oh! Well I'd be happy to assist in any way that I can."

Sherlock scoffed at that and Kairi scowled at him, "How could she be of possible use to me Lestrade?" His eyes focused on Kairi's and he glared at her trying to intimidate her with his gaze. He looked her up and down again, showing obvious disinterest, "What are you? Some sort of file clerk I presume? Judging by the state of your desk, not a very decent one." He turned to Lestrade who was exhaling heavily, "You actually pay her for this?" His attention refocused on Kairi as his eyes ticked away at her again, "Relocated from America within the last year or so, judging by your accent and style of dress." He added with disdain and Kairi took this moment to inspect herself. She was wearing a simple white blouse with a grey sweater over it and black slacks beneath that. She wasn't quite sure how this screamed  _American_  but perhaps there was a colonial flag she'd missed. Sherlock Holmes began to speak again with virulence, "Drastic make up, blood-red lips. Trying to add some excitement to your bland features and pale complexion?" Kairi's scowl deepened and she felt anger brewing in her gut, "Trying to impress someone are we? Perhaps our on-agan-off-again bachelor, Detective Lestrade, hm?" He smiled at her cruelly and Kairi blushed at the implication (who wasn't attracted to Greg Lestrade?), "Trying to convince him you may be worth a roll in the hay? Highly unprofessional behavior from a subordinate."

"Sherlock-," Lestrade tried to break in, giving Kairi a pleading look.

"Not very well liked either, since no one is leaping up to defend you." He grinned, leaning forward into Kairi's space as she vibrated with embarrassment and rage, "Run away from the merciless California sun? Escaping daddy's clutches?" He added sarcastically and Kairi felt her fists clenching and unclenching. "Cheap shoes, cheap clothes, cheap glasses, and ghastly hair, all indicative of a low-income, poorly-educated, mess of a woman. I'm surprised you'd be able to keep a child alive, let alone convince someone to impregnate you."

That shocked Kairi out of her rage, "Ch- _child_?" She squeaked out, her vocal chords trembling of their own accord causing the pitch in her voice to spike.

Sherlock looked at her like she was an idiot, "Yes, a child." He sounded exasperated. "Light roll in your stomach, widened hips, shoddy fitting clothes, pale skin, tired eyes, and a milk-stain on your left nipple all indicate that you have a child or at least are lactating. Give it up for adoption, since you couldn't provide for it?" With each mention of her body part, Kairi's hands twitched and she felt herself biting her lip to keep herself in control. She felt her ears ringing and her nails digging into the fatty flesh of her palm "Judging by the size and general sag of your breasts -"

And that's when Kairi blacked out.

When Kairi came to she was still standing, staring out at the silent precinct. She looked to Lestrade who was gaping at her and then to John who had a hand clamped over his mouth, as if he were fighting to keep the laughter in. It took Kairi a second to realize the abhorrent detective was no longer standing in front of her.

She glanced down and saw Sherlock sprawled on his back, eyes shut and blood spurting out of his nose. "What happened!?" She asked in shock and looked to Lestrade whose shocked mouth had widened into a smile.

"You hit him!" Lestrade got out through a laugh.

"I hit him?" Kairi asked disbelieving. She glanced down at her right fist, clenched in the proper form her father had taught her years ago. Her bones felt sore and her knuckles were bruising, obvious signs that she'd punched someone. "I hit him!" She exclaimed in surprise and looked at John who was staring at her with a strained emotion on his face, Kairi swore it was elation.

"Bloody good hit too." Lestrade muttered and Kairi stared at him, horrified. Her eyes went back down to the unconscious detective who let out a groan and began to squirm.

Kairi let out a shark squeak, horrified as she turned on her heel and ran from her desk, back to the ladies' room. She peeked in, noticed it was empty and slammed the doors, locking it from public use. Adrenaline coursed through her system, causing her to shake and feel giddy and horrified all at the same time. She ran into the furthest stall, closing the door and perching herself onto if the toilet, hiding her feet from public view. She wrapped her arms around her knees and tried to breathe deeply to keep herself from screaming or crying or laughing or all three. Odd tears began to leak out of her eyes, the way she dealt with most intense emotions that overloaded her, and she clamped a hand over her mouth to keep her laughing sobs at bay.

She hadn't hit someone in many years, despite often feeling like she wanted to, and she felt horrible and awesome at the same time. Sherlock Holmes had been detestable and scathing and an absolute blundering idiot. His parlor trick had been wrong on almost all accounts and she was fuming now, thinking about the cruel words he said to her when he had no idea who she was or what she did with her life.

Slowly but surely she calmed herself down, her breathing still hitching and slightly erratic, but she was no longer crying, so that was a start. She placed her feet on the floor and tentatively walked to open the stall, peeking out to see if someone had secretly broken in. She wouldn't be surprised to see Sherlock Holmes shimmy out of the air vent to retaliate. She stood in front of the sink and mirror leaning on it heavily and sighing. She stared back up at herself and wiped at any smudged make up.

So her hair was up in this ridiculous bun and maybe she wore a bit of make up. She enjoyed the harsh lines of her eyes and the bluntness of her red lips. It was probably a bit rockabilly for London, but it made her feel sexy and that's what mattered. Sherlock Holmes could go hang himself with that stupid scarf for all she cared.

She adjusted her clothing, took a few deep breaths, and made her way to exit the ladies' room and face the entire population of Scotland Yard and soon enough, probably the rest of England, would know that she just broke Sherlock Holmes' nose.

She unlocked the door and opened it slowly, peeking out to see the coast clear. She opened the door all the way and air rushed in, calming her senses. She stepped out and tried to keep her breathing even as she walked back through the pen to approach her desk.

She didn't really know what was happening at this point. It sounded like hail clacking against a tin roof, slowly but surely building into a large cacophony that assaulted her already unstable senses. As she glanced around, she felt a blush rise on her cheeks as she noticed the people around her start clapping, actually applauding her for punching Sherlock Holmes in the face. She smiled timidly, waving slightly to the people around her and her eyes fell on Donovan and Anderson. Sally nodded her approval, giving her a wry smile and nodding in her direction. Anderson winked at Kairi and she felt like she might throw up.

She scuttled over to her desk, grabbing her coat and putting her glasses down, which is when she noticed the note on her desk, hastily written.

 _Kairi,_  
Have I ever told you what a pleasure its been working with you? Bloody brilliant.  
Talk tomorrow about the case. Computer type stuff, I'll email you details. Sherlock is hopeless and pissed about it. Made my week.  
Ta,  
Lestrade

_PS: Let's you and me go get a drink sometime._

Kairi involuntarily grinned. She, like just about every female officer in the entire British Nation had a crush on Greg Lestrade, the Silver Fox as he was widely known. She crumpled the note into her pocket and threw on her jacket, rushing outside to calm the butterflies in her stomach from Lestrade and the queasy feeling left over from Anderson's wink.

She made her way outside swiftly, coming down from her adrenaline rush as she turned a corner and hid behind a back alley of Scotland Yard to light up her third cigarette of the day. She tried not to smoke at work, but assaulting the most brilliant detective in the known world pushed her towards the brink of panic. She glanced around, not seeing anyone who would reprimand her for smoking and she pulled out her cigarette case and lighter. She placed a filter between her lips and went to light her cigarette.

"I'd appreciate if you didn't assault me this time." She squeaked at the sound of the voice, the cigarette falling from her lips as she tried to grasp it awkwardly. She turned slowly and was surprised to see none other than Sherlock Holmes standing behind her. "I believe I deserve a cigarette after your dodgy attack."

She took him in slowly, his lips were a thin line and his eyes serious. He was standing stiffly, an indignant look on his features as he narrowed his at her. She couldn't help but notice the scowl was marred by the bandage on his nose, the blood spatter on his crisp shirt, and the subtle bruising that was starting to spread from the bridge of his nose, out to under his eyes.

And for the first time in quite a while, this complete stranger, laughed in Sherlock Holmes' stupid, haughty face.

* * *

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _A/N: Welcome! This is my first Sherlock fic and I am having an absolute blast writing it. As its getting a bit more attention I've noticed a lot of people aren't supremely impressed with my first few chapters. Bully for you, because neither am I! However, this story is something thats become extremely important to me and I absolutely love where my characters have taken themselves. I believe if you can stick with it past the first 3 -4 chapters thats when things pick up and relationships and plot begin to REALLY flourish. One of my personal favorites is chapter 8 and thats when things get VERY exciting!. If you'd be so kind as to slog through my warm up chapters I'd be eternally grateful - especially if you have any advice on how to improve my writing. I revisit my previous chapters often and edit things I find are confusing/poorly worded/ and the usual spelling/grammatical error, but if there are other ways I can help improve clarity or dialogue I'd love to hear it. Thanks so much for finding my story. I hope you enjoy :D_


	2. -2-

"I'm sorry." Kairi did her best to contain her now dying down giggles and paste a big smile upon her face. He looked absolutely horrid. His face screwed up in confusion and distaste all the while his eyes were bruising more ferociously each second that ticked by - he looked like a constipated raccoon.

She coughed a little awkwardly to disguise a giggle and offered him her case and lighter. When he took it in his hands he did the same thing to her case as he did her body. She sighed slightly, taking another drag off the cigarette and waited for something, anything to be said.

After Holmes had carefully chosen a cigarette and lit it just as delicately with a flick of his wrist, he handed her back her smoking apparatus and took a long, deep inhale. "Nasty habit" He said in almost orgasmic tones.

Kairi scoffed at that. She always knew everyone hated smokers, but in the end she didn't care. It was something she loved - as horrible as it may seem - and one of the only links she still felt like she had with her father. "If you're going to smoke with me at least own it." She smiled slightly and he glanced at her very quickly, "And, hum, I guess I'm sorry for punching you."

"No you're not." He stated matter of factly.

Kairi shrugged, agreeing, "Well, I don't necessarily regret it. You were a total dick." She said straightly. "However, I would have preferred to handle it a bit more maturely."

It almost seemed like he may have wanted to smile at that before he took another hit off the stolen cigarette. "It seems I will be working more closely with you on this case." He stated and Kairi stared at him through a smokey haze, "I predict that means we should be somewhat amicable with each other."

Kairi stared in disbelief, "Amicable? You basically said I look like I just had a baby. Which I have not. So thanks a lot for that. As if it weren't already hard enough for me to feel good about myself." She scoffed, only somewhat jokingly.

"I don't see why. I'm afraid my deduction was cut off prematurely by your right hook." He announced, somewhat annoyed. Kairi looked at him sideways, still smoking and disbelieving. "Though you are single, you are not a mother. The stain on your breast is from coffee. It was too freshly made for me to realize the pigmentation was beginning to show through your sweater." He paused to smoke, "And the curvature of your body is not something to be sneered at. You're in shape, though you don't exercise vigorously. You have muscles, layered beneath the flesh of a happy, well fed woman," Kairi cringed at that. "However, still young, single, freshly moved. You had a family back home that you've run away from." She glared at him slightly and he seemed to ease up a bit, "Judging by your cigarette case - something that's been passed down from generations - usually to the eldest male, but I'm assuming your immediate family didn't have any." Another glare, "Its old, but not ancient. Probably from World War I - your great grandfather purchased it to hold his cigarettes while he was in another country, judging by the craftsman ship I would say Italy or at least somewhere that sold Italian goods. Water and pressure sealed with some slight damage, so he may have been Navy or possibly marines depending on his station. Passed down to your grandfather for World War II, he was young of course. Drafted. Carvings inside the case are about 60 years old judging by the amount of dirt and accumulated rust inside the divots. Then to your father, who served in the gulf and more than likely in Afghanistan or Iraq. Where he unfortunately died, judging by your morose, teary look."

She sighed, taking another breath from her cigarette, "You could at least show some respect before I feel like punching you again. I may not BE military but I damn-well respect them and lived with far too many of them to not learn a few silent and evidence-less ways of killing you. They were fighting so you could retain your freedom of being a complete prat." She growled around the filter.

Another almost smile, "Looks like you've been catching up on our local dialect." He nodded, inhaling deeply, "I don't apologize."

She glanced at him wearily, "I wasn't expecting you to." She replied honestly. "I'm surprised your even here. I was hoping breaking your nose would deter you from annoying me anytime soon, but alas. You deserved that punch, though." She glanced at him and he was staring at her, now a curious constipated raccoon "I wish I'd handle it better. I don't want to be known as the Violent Yank in Scotland Yard." She managed to finish in her best British accent.

"Attune to languages are we?" He looked at her and she raised an eyebrow, "Very accurate portrayal of a Londoner accent. I assume you speak a few languages judging by the flexibility of your tongue."

A sudden flush came over her body and she tried not to laugh at that,  _That would be perfect for those saucy calls_. "Yes. We moved around a lot being a military family. All around America, Japan, Ireland and New Zealand for a little while. Then we settled in California about seven years ago. You're correct about my heritage as well in that case. My father left it to me three years ago when he was killed in Afghanistan. I was in the middle of school, working on my first PhD. Picked up smoking because of it."

"Horrible habit." He remarked again and noticed that she laughed softly.

"So, whats this case you so desperately need my help on?" She smiled coyly, dropping the cigarette butt to the floor and quashing it with the toe of her Chuck.

Holmes visibly bristled at the mention of desperation and help, but he couldn't help but admit he may need some at some point and it was his new fashion to not let a less than dull mind go to waste. "Information about computer software capable of extensive hacking of security protocols."

"Not the usual firewall basher I presume?" Kairi said, placing her hands in her pockets, waiting patiently for Holmes to finish his barely touched cigarette.

"No, its a tad more sophisticated than that." He admitted and took a long drag and glanced at her up and down again.

Kairi shrugged, "I never would have figured you for a smoker." She paused, "All intellectual and all that. Usually, people that have that high of esteem for themselves don't desire to poison themselves slowly."

He looked back at her, "I should say the same for you. Though you don't nearly attribute your intelligence as much as you've got multiple degrees that you completed at one time and by the sound of it a PhD, in what? Criminal Sciences?"

"Sort of. More specifically, computer science in the criminal field. I've been tasked with assisting many a great developer with improving software capable of tracking, identifying, and neutralizing threats." Kairi paused from her resume description and looked taken aback, "Wait, was that a complement?"

Holmes glared at her for a moment before dropping his cigarette and stomping it out. "No." He growled and turned quickly, letting the tail of his coat flip out in the wind.

Kairi just smiled at the hopelessly repugnant man, "Oh you just did that for the effect..." She murmured as he disappeared around a nearby corner and she made her way back to Scotland Yard to start packing up for the day.

* * *

Kairi just entered her small apartment not too far from Scotland Yard when she heard the unmistakable clattering of nails against the laminate flooring. Coming from her bedroom no doubt was a flash of black and white that came speeding towards her. The large, fluffy blur came to a stop at her feet and immediately crumbled to the floor, exposing his large hairy belly and flopping around like a fish out of water.

She laughed lightly, "Why hello Appa!" She knelt down next to her four-year old Northern Inuit dog and began rubbing his belly vigorously. As he wriggled around beneath her touch, he whimpered jovially knowing his master was finally home. She adored Appa, the only child she had and probably ever would want thanks to Holmes' glowing description of her non-babified body.

A sour look crossed her face and Appa froze for a moment, noticing his master's pause. He whined ever so encouragingly and let his giant tongue loll out the side of his gaping upside down grin. With a quick beat on her leg of his wagging tail, Kairi woke from her trance and glanced back at her favorite thing in the world and smiled, "Sorry Appa! Miles away there for a moment. How about we go for a walk after I pee? "

At the announcement of the W word Appa seemed to absolutely lose his shit. He jumped to his feet and began bouncing gently in place, turning in circles as Kairi made her way to her restroom. She shut the door and went about her business, hearing the chuff and puff of Appa's nose right at the bottom of the door. When she was finished she opened it, finding the large hairy beast laying happily at the door jamb, his tail automatically perking up and wagging out of control. She couldn't help but smile and commanded that he go get his leash which he excitedly did.

She went into her bedroom and changed into more comfortable clothing for the walk. An orange and yellow knit cap with ears and a poof ball on top on her head, a pair of jeans, a plain turquoise long-sleeved t-shirt, her pea-coat, and since she was in London of all places, a pair of clunky, well-worn Doc Martins. When she turned around, Appa was sitting patiently at her door frame, pretending that he obeyed her rule of never crossing the invisible barrier (except of course on holidays, weekends, week nights, and whenever Kairi slightly felt like a cuddle). She couldn't help but smile at the large goofy dog as she approached him and took the lead from his mouth, snapping it to his collar.

As they made their way through the bustling streets of London, she lived quite between Scotland Yard and Regent's Park. So her and Appa would make the long trek to the park and walk around for a while before they both got bored or tired.

Today she felt quite invigorated - probably the adrenaline from punching Holmes in his begrudging face. She couldn't help but snigger at the thought that the bruises forming on his skin complemented his eyes quite nicely. People glanced at her confused, a crazy woman laughing at herself with a silly hat and enormous wolf for a pet.

It was true, Appa looked a lot like the common wolf, a trait she loved dearly about him. His large paws beneath long spindly legs, topped with a lithe body and mounds of black and white fluff made him stand out against other dogs and even Huskies. His nose was long and pointed, his ears always pointing straight up unless in trouble or sulking, and his eyes were a bright and intelligent gold. He was as pig-headed as he was intelligent but that matched up perfectly with Kairi's personality. She had got him just before her father's death, when she was living alone in Los Angeles, miles away from her father's more obvious tentacles, and he had given him to her as protection and a sign of trust in her own responsibility. Being 25 at the time, she was happy he was finally admitting to himself that she was a bona-fide woman and not just a she-child terrified of her own closet (well, not always anymore). She took the fluffy ball gladly and dedicated herself to raising him properly with many an obedience class and many a trip to dog beaches. She didn't think England had any dog beaches it being half past tit-cicles so often, but she hoped, in her heart of hearts that it would be warm enough one day for her to venture outside in a sun-dress and dare she say it, flip-flops.

It was always amusing seeing people's' reaction to Appa. As intimidating as he was, he honestly loved just about everything except for the occasional cat and opossums. Oh, how he loathed opossums. He would walk down the street with his head held high, right at his mistresses' waist, since she was only 5'4", and bouncing along the sidewalk to his own merry beat. His favorite thing had to be children though. Most parents thought that he'd enjoy to lick the skin right off their bones, but mostly he just wanted to savor their delicious scent and the fact that they almost always had remnants of their most previous meal plastered somewhere on their person. She had got him licensed to visit hospitals in America as a therapy dog, but she wasn't sure about the protocol here, or if British people even liked dogs. Most did not, judging by the scorning looks they gave her.

But perhaps that was the hat's fault. It was quite silly, but she couldn't help but love it more and more each time someone stared at her as if she were mental.

They reached Regent's Park and began making their way along the outer circle. There were more pedestrians here, but Appa ensured a wide berth. Other friendlies with dogs would approach and talk to Kairi for a few moments. Astounded at Appa's size and resemblance, as well as his good nature and then of course the obligatory, "Oh you're American!" Most people were genuinely fascinated and nice about it, exchanging stories of being tourists in different nations across the world. It had only been once or twice that someone had glared at her or spat in her direction. She didn't let it bother her. She was very accustomed to feeling like the everlasting gypsy, traveling from one country to the next, hoping to widen her horizons or something poetic like that.

Once she hit the mark where she knew Appa was exercised and happy - his gait slightly slowed, his tail drooped barely and his mouth was wide open and if it weren't for the giant tongue lolling out on the side, she feared people may scream at him for being feral.

They made their way back to their apartment, happy and slightly sweating in the frigid air. She stopped at a local "Asian" restaurant, serving anything from orange chicken to sushi to pad Thai to pho. They were very kind to Kairi there, since she spoke some Vietnamese and Japanese because of a close friend and living situation, respectively. Tonight, she chose the Pho and she got a side of their finest  _Tai_  for Appa to feast on later.

Within minutes, with the Pho piping hot, she unlocked her apartment door, placed it on the side table near the door and began to do her usual disrobe of hat and outer wear. She was hanging her peat coat on the back of her front door when Appa growled.

Appa NEVER growled. Except at opossums.

Kairi pretended not to notice, taking a step towards the closet nearest the door and opened it. She wrapped her tiny fingers around the slim end of her father's Over The Line bat and yanked it out of the closet at quickly as possible, brandishing it as a mace as he she let out a warrior's cry only akin to Xena. The sun was setting on this gloomy day and a light finally clicked on in her front room.

She stood, with the bat held high and Appa at her side, hackles raised and doing his best Cujo impression. Her rebel yell slowly de-escalated when she truly took in the sight before her. The hand holding the bat, lowered slowly to the ground as her head tilted to the side in confusion.

A man, dark-haired, impeccably slim and proper looking in a very expensive suit was sitting in her favorite chair, an unopened and unused umbrella at his side.

"Its quite rude for both of you to stare." He muttered in such a fine English accent Kairi felt like she should be sipping tea - one thing she couldn't grasp was their love of tea! "Especially when its so hard to distinguish between pet and owner."

Kairi looked shocked, wanting to raise the bat and beat him with it a tiny bit, but she looked down at Appa and saw that he was now sitting, his head tilted to the side and staring at the strange man before them much like she had.

"I'm sorry, forgive my rudeness, dearest interloper, would you enjoy a nice cuppa?" She asked her voice sickly sweet.

A very slight smile formed on his lips, "If you would be so kind."

Kairi glared, "Well I'm not. You're shit out of luck, you found the ONE house in all of England without tea. I'm a purely coffee and whiskey type of girl." She growled and then realized her mistake, "Though not at the same time...usually" she admitted painfully.

He stared at her, his fingers forming a steeple beneath his nose in a familiar gesture. She squinted at him, trying to place the behavior, but was interrupted from her blazing thought process by Appa slowly approaching the gentleman and sniffing at his pant leg.

It was obvious the man was uncomfortable with such a beast at his feet and his hand slowly moved to grip his umbrella beside him.

Kairi let out a growl this time, raising the bat again and choked up her grip, "If you so much as blink towards that umbrella with the intention of hitting my dog, I will brain you so fucking hard you mother will see Stars and Stripes."  _'MURICA_! She yelled triumphantly in her own mind, "I'm honestly not one for violence, but so much as look at my dog wrong and I will END you." She finished in her most menacing tone.

He looked up at her, his hand retreating from the umbrella and settling on a leather folder in his lap, a tight smile gracing his lips. He almost seemed amused by that.

"Not one for violence?" He almost laughed. "Well information provided for me hardly suggests so." He said again opening the file with a flourish that caused Appa to jump back defensively and cower behind his mistress.

"Information?" She scoffed.

He smiled again, that taunting, patronizing half-smile, "Yes, information. You see, I'm quite well-informed about interesting people in my country, rather the whole world, but more importantly those who reside in such close proximity to her Highness."

"No offense, but I have no interest in your Queen. I love this country. I love the law here. I have no idea why I would be on a subject list for possible threats." She finished as succinctly as possible. It was obvious this man was no normal robber, since his attire alone cost more than her whole apartment.

"I've come to understand that." he glanced at the file in his lap, flipping a few pages, "It seems to me you come highly recommended. Easy to work with, no issues or confrontation. Very matter of fact." He glanced up at her again, folding his hands over the papers in the file.

Kairi almost laughed, "Have you now?"

"Yes Ms. Aria." He stated matter of factly, yet again.

An eyebrow rose and Kairi opened her mouth to form another question before she suddenly realized, "Wait a moment, forget the fact that we are suddenly having a decent, human conversation," She said raising the bat that had fallen slowly to the floor again, "Why the HELL are you in my apartment!? ." She snarled and Appa joined in just for fun, while still hiding as much as he could of his large frame behind Kairi.

Another pedantic smile, "Why Ms. Aria, it has come to my attention that you may be a threat to something that concerns me."

Her eyes widened, "Whoa, I don't know WHAT the IT department has told you, but I swear to God, that randomly manifesting midget porn virus on Anderson's computer got there on ACCIDENT!"

His face screwed up in disgust and confusion, "No!" He shouted looking more and more disgusted and confused.

"Well what is it? What am I so seriously a threat to in glorious England that they've sent some constipated -," Kairi stopped herself, staring at the man in front of her for a second. The scrunched nose, reviled curl of the lip, and the almost empty eyes. "Holmes." She growled, "Is this some kind of set up? He feels sad that some small American woman came in and punched him in his stupid face?" Kairi was getting riled up now. She could see the man in front of her was obviously uncomfortable, no one dared show emotion in his proximity before - well at least not this much. "That unbelievable, stark raving mad, idiotic Neanderthal!" She practically squealed, she had started pacing and saw that Appa was trailing her, his tail wagging and tongue hanging out while he waited to find out what else was involved in this new game.

"Please, Ms. Aria." He muttered, but she was still pacing with Appa following her, tail wagging furiously.

"Don't you Ms. Aria me!" She growled, pointing a stern finger at him. She knew that finger well, but was used to being on the other side of it. For a moment she was frozen, remembering her mother, she shook her head slightly and glared back at the man across the room from her.

For what may have been the first time in his life, he squirmed under her gaze, if only for a second. "Ms. Kairi, it has come to my attention that you may be quite useful when applied properly. There is a possibility that my employer may have an opening in their computer sciences division for such a talent as yourself." He paused, glaring at her seriously, "As for my brother-,"

 _Wait_ , She thought,  _What_   _brother_? It took her a moment,  _No_ ,  _that_   _cant_  be!

He continued, not missing a beat, "I'm sure you will have no issue with him again should we retain your services."

"My services?" She stared at him blankly, "What the hell is happening?"

He stood slowly, adjusting the fit of his suit and placing the folder he was holding on the coffee table - or possibly the tea-table, since she was in England and all. He buttoned his suit jacket and reached down for his umbrella, not without a small whimpering vocalization from Appa. He smiled at the dog in an uncomfortable, detesting way and then softened his features when he looked up at Kairi.

"Yes mum, a job." He nodded to the folder, "Everything about you and about the offer is inside that folder, along with a time when we will contact you again. Please make yourself available. Waiting for you here was a tedious process." He said disappointed, glancing around her furnishings in slight disgust.

"You can see yourself out." She growled at him, adding space between herself and the intruder with each step he took towards the door.

He paused with his hand on the knob, "It was a pleasure."

She nodded halfheartedly, still utterly confused as to what just happened, "Wait!" She called out before he turned the knob completely. "At least tell me who I had the pleasure of breaking into my flat?"

His mouth twitched ever so slightly at that and he turned his head to glance over his shoulder, "Mycroft," He said and his smile widened, "Mycroft Holmes."

Kairi's eyes widened. She assumed that if she didn't chill out, they would pop right on out without hesitation. She turned back to the table, staring at the leather worn booklet and grabbing the bag she had abandoned what seemed like hours before. She went to sit at the coffee table and pretended like she was going to open the food first but became quickly entranced by the worn leather document.

She snatched it up and began reading. Information about her family, heritage, siblings, school, extracurricular activities, previous men in her life - as disappointing at that was. Her palms began to sweat as she flipped through pages and pages of reports on her schooling, her personality type, pictures ranging from a small child to adulthood. Some were candid shots taken far away and some seemed to be taken straight from her family albums from home. More and more quickly she turned pages until she reached the final one, detailing her entry-level job into a more subtle sect of the British government, which paid her more than three times the amount at Scotland Yard. She assumed that since she as American that this must have been a huge mistake, but everything was titled to her. Even the first check, numbering in the five digits that was appropriated for her to purchase new clothes suitable for work.

She let out an extremely nervous titter, horrified, glorified, excited, and sick all at the same time. She closed the folder, reached out for the food and stopped herself, looking down at Appa.

"Appa..." He glanced at her, thumping his tail, realizing his favorite human was directing her attention towards him. "My Pho's gone cold..." Was all she could say.

_Strangest day, ever._


	3. -3-

After Kairi finished her Pho, she became agitated and couldn't focus on the show she usually loved to watch or the book that she tried to pick up. All she could focus on was the leather folder sitting neatly on her coffee table, surrounded by remnants of a demolished Pho Tai.

She stood carefully and made her way into her bedroom, with a tired Appa at her heels. She tried to be distracted by tidying up her place, but in all honesty, there wasn't much to tidy up. She rid her face of makeup, leaving her pale skin without any cover and her hair tied up in yet another messy bun. She changed into her most comfortable t-shirt, long woolly socks and grabbed her laptop and cell phone and made her way out into her front room again.

Sitting carefully in her overstuffed chair and making sideways glances at the leather folder, she put on her glasses and began to absent-mindedly type on her keyboard. She did mild research on her newest acquaintances. She stumbled across plenty of internet articles speculative on the sexuality of Mr. Holmes and Dr. John Watson. Though some of them made her blush, she distinctly remembered how John's eyes had raked over her body and face when they were being introduced. She had a hard time believing someone with that intense of a stare could be interested in anything less than the opposite sex. But then again, there was Sherlock Holmes. The enigma. The  _pompous_  enigma. The pompous  _utterly frustrating_  enigma. She stopped herself before she went on a tirade. The man inspected literally every visible centimeter of her body and yet it seemed as if the Vulcan hardly cared more for her than a scrap of trash on the street. The trash probably had more mystery to it in his mind. She didn't think she was that hideous. Maybe a little rounder in some areas than most lanky British women, but she always thought her face was cute and simple. Her eyes were a very clear blue, very cyan in nature with almost white speckles surrounding the pupil. Her hair was a platinum blonde, mostly from dyeing it, but it was originally blonde at one time, long ago before she fell in with her rockabilly ways. She realized she let herself become distracted by her own personal deduction and started to violently jab the keys. As if it would make the insecurity go away.

After the more saucily written articles, she found Sherlock Holmes' personal blog. She tried to read through some of his more recent studies but found herself wanting to fall asleep - and this coming from someone who reads, writes, and edits computer code for a living. She would remember that fact come any restless nights in the future.

It wasn't that his experiments weren't interesting, but his explanation of research was frightfully dull. In a few posts she could see the excitement in his writing, but for the most part, it seemed like it was written by a Robot - and not the fun kind with hookers and blackjack.

She went back to her Google search and realized she had missed the link right above his own personal blog. It was the blog of John Watson. She clicked on it, took a look around the basic page and decided it would be fun to inspect its elements. She glanced through the laughable code - what you could expect from a basic blogging website intended for the everyday housewife - and was sorely tempted on figuring out a way to hack into its web server and change all the O's to little hearts. Maybe just the ones in Sherlock Holmes' name.

She quickly quashed the temptation and clicked on the most recent blog post and read through the lengthy description of their most recent case. Where Holmes' blog was detail oriented, rather blase in its ability to depict its importance to the reader, and dreadfully boring, Watson's blog was rather enticing. His words weren't fancy, though she knew he was educated, but each and every sentence was filled with an emotion. It was amazing as much as it was captivating. Kairi sat there for what felt like hours, knees cuddled up to her chest and laptop balancing precariously on the arm of her favorite chair, reading John's words and eventually feeling the tiniest inkling of obsession. Now she knew why they were famous. It obviously was not the charm or the elegant brilliance of the young detective, but his charismatic mate who seemed to be the only person in the world truly capable of bringing out an excellence and a sort of humanity in Sherlock Holmes no one had ever experienced before.

Before she could control it, she had read through numerous of John's retellings, equally thrilled and devastated by each and every one. She chastised herself for not researching this before - since that really WAS her job. Now she only held more and more intense interest for the consulting detective, the doctor, and now, the brother.

Thinking of the brother she took a moment to click open another tab and Google Mycroft Holmes. She shouldn't have been surprised when absolutely nothing came up on him.  _Did you mean Sherlock Holmes?_  Google asked almost triumphantly. Not even a Facebook or a Livejournal from his more troubled youth. She was slightly disappointed and was tempted to dig a little deeper when she realized the man had been in her apartment by himself with her most prized laptop for who knows how long. She had built and customized the damn thing within an inch of its life, with help from a very talented young man back in the states. She stared at it a moment, lifted it in her hands to feel the weight of it and didn't notice any added heft, but she figured that she was probably under some covert surveillance now. Her face blanched when she thought about the fact that she had walked around in almost her underwear only a few hours before. She gulped back her ultimate horror and sighed, realizing that life could never be any semblance of normalcy ever again. She had punched the infuriating the detective and by that simple action she had created a ripple affect that would forever distort her future.

She was justifiably furious for a good moment and let her anger get the best of her. She pulled up the secure sign in location - that was only supposed to be available on terminal computers within Scotland Yard - and decided to retrieve the information she sought in a rather unethical way. However, in her first few weeks at Scotland Yard she was tasked with beefing up web security and the darned information just never seemed to leak out of her head. So within a few minutes, a few hacked databases, she was angrily punching numbers into her phone and sending a text.

_I've met a friend of yours. Rather imposing._

A few minutes ticked by where Kairi was sure the detective was staring stupidly (or what she thought was stupidly) at his phone trying to uncover the mystery of this random text.

* * *

The normal chime sounded on Sherlock's phone as he laid haphazardly on his sofa glaring at the ceiling while trying to piece together some evidence from his most recent case.

After the Fall he had gone into hiding and was partially unsuccessful in trying to reach the furthest most tendrils of Moriarty's web of crime. He had worked with Mycroft from the very beginning, using Mycroft's intelligence contacts and his own brilliant mind to try to decipher the hazy connections of Moriarty's world. He had not come up with much, aside from a few names, some random IP addresses and an unknown form of communication. Sherlock assumed it would be something intricate and beautiful, but was not as adept with technology as he would have preferred. The concept of a computer terminal was frightfully boring to him. The complexity of a computer's parts were interesting enough, especially when exposed to acid, but once they started transmitting information it became frightfully dull. He was worried that becoming too engrossed with the machine would eventually drag him down into stupidity, as it did much of the common folk. So obsessed with Facebook, Twittering, and blogs. He allowed himself a dramatic eye roll, glancing in his current blogger's direction. Though he knew most of John's spare time with said machine was NOT spent blogging. Once Sherlock had discovered how to view internet history, most of John's secrets were gone.

He slipped his phone into his grasp and brought it close to his face, staring at the screen, his eyes fluttering electrically across the small expanse. He sat up quickly, not recognizing the number. It was local, at least local to London. John stared at him for a moment but went back to whatever tedious past time he was indulging in now. Probably fancy cat photos. Sherlock sneered in disgust for a moment while letting the numbers run through his mind. Nothing he could recall. Nothing stood out. It was infuriating. He stared at it for a few moments and inspected the text.

_I've met a friend of yours. Rather imposing._

He glared at it. The author used friend instead of mate, so not someone who used common words like mate. The phrasing was for effect, he assumed it was most likely a female. Most males did not prefer to use interesting syntax while texting a friend. He paused a moment, would this person be close to him? Most likely not, otherwise he would have had their number programmed into his phone. Or at least John's.

"John, your phone." Sherlock muttered still staring at the screen and reaching up an open and expecting palm. As he stared at the number some more, he heard John's reluctant sigh and his soft footsteps towards the sofa. The comfortable weight of John's mobile popped into his hand.

"I've put in a new pass-," John started, but barely looking, Sherlock typed in the new pass code with a deft fingers, "-code. Course. Couldn't be bother with respecting my privacy now, could you?" He resigned and retreated to his computer.

As Sherlock typed in the phone number, hoping for the technology to pick up a familiarity, he replied boredly, "You're skin's oils deposited the approximate formation of numbers John and with that I was able to - well, you know. You're grandmother's birthday? How trite."

He could practically hear John roll his eyes and then, his sigh. Sherlock's face turned down into a frown as the phone pulled up no known information on John's phone. With a growl, he tossed the phone across the room. John's eyes following it, a little desperately, where it landed on a pile of crumpled up newspaper from a previous experiment.

"You're lucky there," John said exasperated, "You'd owe me a new phone. I just got that one."

"Quiet!" Sherlock muttered, closing his eyes a moment, "I'm thinking."

John mumbled quite bitterly, "Could've bloody fooled me." He sat at his laptop and resumed his work.

Sherlock's only response was to swat away John's words as if they were poisonous. He let his mind tick away for a few moments before coming up with nothing very important. So he sat back dejectedly on his sofa with a huff and began to type.

* * *

A low, whooshing, vworping noise brought Kairi's attention back from Reddit and she grabbed her phone, opening the most recent text.

_Did you now? -SH_

She glanced at her watch, only six minutes seemed to have passed. What an eternity it must have been in his mind.

 _Yes, otherwise I would not have texted you_. She replied coyly.

Probably with frustration, he responded,  _Pray tell. Who is this exactly? -SH_

She couldn't help but smile. The smug bastard couldn't exactly deduce her measurements from her phone number could he!?  _It must burn you inside out that you couldn't figure out who this is._

* * *

 _Burn me_? For a moment his heart seemed to skip a beat. He had dealt with the fear that Moriarty had somehow managed to fake his own death like Sherlock had faked his. However, he was intimately familiar with Moriarty's suicide, so much so that it was ingrained in his soul. On some nights, he wouldn't dare admit, he still dreamed of it. He shook away the thoughts, the intimate knowledge of the death was utmost evidence of how it could not possibly be him.

_Enough of the foolish chatter. Who is this? -SH_

* * *

Kairi rolled her eyes. The jerk could dish it, but couldn't take it, it seemed. She responded easily with a smirk on her lips.

_Ms. Aria. Kairi. I've just had the most intriguing meeting with your brother, of all people._

A few beats of silence and then the whooshing sounded again.

_Ah, Ms. Aria. And how did you come to get my phone number? - SH_

She began to type a sarcastic reply when another message popped up.

_My brother? - SH_

She smiled. Obviously he was more intrigued by the second half of her statement.

_Yes, your brother. He's offered me a job, it seems._

Silence.

_Well it seems your talent is much more extensive than I originally thought. That or malevolent judging by my brother's interest. -SH_

She scoffed,  _He hardly seemed all that malevolent. Except for threatening my dog with his umbrella. That situation was avoided by a well placed threat and a fantastic grip on my bat._ She smiled and pressed send.

_Yes that does seem like my brother. - SH_

_A bat? I thought you wanted to be the peaceful Yank of Scotland Yard. - SH_

Kairi couldn't help but laugh a bit. The strange, morose man did seem to come alive via text rather than in person. He probably frequented chat rooms, hoping for pictures of scantily clad and lonely women. She shook her head again, laughing at the picture of Holmes' in his boxers, sitting in a dark room in front of a computer with a Mountain Dew in his hand. Sherlock Holmes' seemed to think frivolity was a pointless distraction. What an absolute bore, he was.

 _Yes, a bat. I am peaceful, but break into my home and threaten my dog? You may as well have just told me I look pregnant. Oh wait, you did_. She typed back with a little more vehemence than she originally intended.

She didn't realize that texting could be this awkward. It was almost like talking to real people... Horrible.

_I did not say you looked pregnant. I was inferring that you looked at least six months postpartum. - SH_

"Oh my god." Kairi said out loud and Appa looked up at her, sleepily curious, obviously more concerned by the length of time it was taking his master to decide to go to bed in the pile of heaven. "I'm conversing with an absolute idiot."

 _You are horrible Mr. Holmes._  Was all she could manage to reply without possibly destroying her phone with vulgar language.

_You misunderstood my previous text. That was not my final deduction if you recall, that was merely my first impression. After a rather infuriating and mind numbing conversation with an imbecile. -SH_

Though his reply was swift, Kairi couldn't help but feel like she would have punched him again if she had the chance. She sighed, now understanding that not only did Sherlock Holmes' have absolutely no filter, but also a volatile tempter.

_Have you ever been diagnosed with Aspberger's? You would be the perfect poster child to horrify parents into early intervention._

She almost felt bad for texting that, but he replied quickly again.

_I have been diagnosed with many things Ms. Aria. Being horrible is not the worst. -SH_

"Cry me a river you prat!" She growled at the phone.

_I'll be retiring to my bed chambers soon. Your family should have its own television show. It was horrible and lovely to meet you and your brother. It assuaged my concerns of being socially inept. I am a rock star compared to you two._

_Goodnight Ms. Aria, I don't yet dread working with you. -SH_

She glared at her phone and was about to turn it off when she decided otherwise.

 _Goodnight Mr. Holmes. But I think you should know you are not the first consulting detective I've ever met._ She grinned maniacally as she typed.

The reply was lighting fast.  _And who is the other? -SH_

_Ever heard of a gentleman called Adrian Monk? Just about as brilliant and dysfunctional as you._

She smiled, knowing it was silly to goad him, but she didn't really care. She turned off her phone for the rest of the night, letting Sherlock Holmes believe for a few brief moments that he was not as brilliant as he deemed himself to be. The next time she would see him, she decided she would prove it.


	4. -4-

Kairi spent her first twenty minutes at St. Bart's wandering the halls with a bundle of files in her arms. She was searching for the morgue and too horrified to ask yet another rushing worker where the hell she was going. She turned into another blind hallway leading to ominous unmarked doors. She sighed heavily, wondering how the hell she ever managed to get a degree in anything when she knew she could barely navigate her way out of a paper bag. Somehow a computer terminal seemed paltry compared to the endless labyrinth that was St. Bart's.

She cursed, turning around slowly and wandered back to yet another directory sign with listed names and room numbers, yet no map with a little star saying "You are here." Evidently Europeans were able to divine their precise location within a building and were also able to see the invisible numbering on the doors. Suddenly, she was violently jealous of the English people. They seemed to actually live within Hogwart's with its ever changing hallways and staircases. She imagined if there were pictures on the wall, they would have been mocking her.

Someone cleared their throat behind Kairi and she turned slowly to see a woman, red haired, with a thin mouth, button nose, and dimples Kairi wished she could climb into. Kairi smiled slowly, eye to eye with the lovely woman, who had to be around her age. The ginger's eyes seemed to sparkle and her smile widened, almost shyly, and Kairi felt her heart quicken. She was adorable and beautiful all at the same time. Kairi wanted to cuddle her and be her best friend. She tried her hardest not to be her normal awkward self. She crossed her fingers that she would not end up punching someone today.

"Hello." Her voice seemed to tinkle like a fairy, "A bit lost are we?"

"How could you tell?" Kairi smiled wide, "Am I so obviously sweating?" Oh Jesus, she did NOT just say that.

The woman's eyes widened and she shuffled a bit, her face turning bright red, "No! I didn't mean-,"

"I wasn't trying to-,"

"Believe me you look fine!"

"I'm sorry I'm so lost and I thought it'd be colder today-,"

"OH!" The woman finally shouted, breaking both her and Kairi out of their awkward sputtering.

Kairi straightened, nervous, "Oh what?"

"You're American!" She said amused. "I mean-, Shit. I'm sorry." She stomped her foot softly.

"Wait? Why? I'm American. I'm not... I mean... I don't  _mind_  being American... We aren't all so terrible." Kairi finished meekly.

Her face matched her hair again as she squeaked, "No!" She cleared her throat and continued, "I wasn't meaning that. I know there are decent Americans out there!" She almost sounded indignant, and Kairi felt guilty for accusing her, "I just meant you're American! You must be THE American! The one from Scotland Yard." She began snapping her fingers in deep thought, "Something with a K, am I correct?" She smiled wide again.

Kairi slowly readjusted her pathetic stance and smiled weakly, "Kairi. I guess I'm quite the popular topic lately."

The woman smiled wide again, "Oh yes." And then she visibly cringed and grimaced, "Wait, I didn't mean that we all talk about you. Just that, well, you punching Sherlock this past week."

She trailed off and Kairi felt her heart drop. Kairi would never live it down.

"...I mean it was brilliant really." Her smiled beamed and her eyes brightened, "I've never had the guts to actually do it, but I know he more than deserves it." She shuffled again, "I don't mean that he isn't decent man, but the things he says. They can be so horrible."

Kairi nodded, all too knowingly "Yes. Yes they can."

"I'm Molly by the way." She smiled and reached out a hand to Kairi then realized that Kairi's arms were full. "Oh, do you want some help with that?"

Kairi smiled, "Only direct me to your office. This is the research on tetracycline hydrochloride oral burns for you."

Molly's eyes brightened, "Oh goody!" She clapped her hands and turned swiftly, "Follow me."

Kairi followed the sprightly Molly down a few halls, through a few unmarked doors, and finally to the hallway leading the morgue. She was confident there was no way she'd be able to navigate her way back.

"Thank you for getting that research for me. There seems to be some unsightly burns in the victims oral cavity and they didn't seem very familiar." Molly's flats were soundless as they walked into the morgue, she gestured towards her desk, "If you would be so kind as to place them on my table."

Kairi shuffled over and dropped the files onto Molly's desk, trying her hardest not to do so unceremoniously. "Yes, it was quite interesting research really. The most likely culprit was that -,"

Molly put a hand up whilst tying her hair back and slipping on her "work" lab coat, "Please don't spoil it. I do love reading those research files."

Kairi beamed at her, "Finally! Someone who understands!"

Molly smiled back at her when a sudden BOOM interrupted their almost bestie stare. A dark blur seemed to vibrate into the room at great speed with a neutral figure coming to close the door quietly. Holmes stormed over to his allotted place for experimentation and John raised his hand in apology.

"Morning!" Molly nervously tittered in a sing song voice.

Kairi frowned when Sherlock Holmes only acknowledged Molly with barely a sideways glance. She noticed Molly visibly crumble, only slightly, before John approached, all smiles and bravado.

"Hello Molly." He chimed in return, obviously vibrant to lighten her spirits, "Nice to see you again. How are things?"

Molly smiled faintly, "Good as they can be John."

Kairi looked back and forth between the two, Molly obviously disheartened and John looking slightly defeated. Kairi wondered if she had wandered into a love triangle. "Well, I must be going."

Molly and John looked up at her, "No!" Molly said almost urgently, causing John, Kairi, and even Sherlock Holmes to look taken aback. "I just mean," Molly fussed nervously "You don't need to. I'm just going to go about business. They always stay." She glanced in Sherlock Holmes' direction a little vehemently.

Kairi tried not to sputter, "Thank you Molly. I think I will stay." She sauntered over to Holmes, hoping to annoy him enough for slighting Molly. She watched as Molly geared up for an autopsy and John followed behind her, asking her questions and making her smile.

When she sidled up to Holmes as awkwardly as possible, she smiled, "What'cha doin?"

He seemed to glare at the microscope when she began to speak and he continued to administer the clear liquid to globs of what looked like fatty flesh.

"I asked you a question." Kairi repeated in a higher than normal tone. "It looks real interesting." She paused. "I mean look at the long pointy thing with the clicky end. Its like a pen. So clicky!" She said quickly, reaching out depressing the button of what she knew to be a micro-pipette.

She could see Sherlock visibly shaking at this point. Only the slightest tremor in his hand that sat next to his sample. She smiled wryly and knew she could push the envelope. Honestly, if Sherlock punched a woman, his career would be over. Especially over something as simple as adding an extra ten ul of sulfuric acid to what looked like decomposing fatty tissue.

"I'm quite busy if you don't mind." Holmes managed to get out between clenched teeth.

Kairi smiled noticing his hackles rising. "I don't mind at all." She muttered, trying to sound as defeated as possible until she noticed Holmes visibly relax. "I'd  _love_  to help!"

Molly and John did their best to hide the smiles that were creeping onto their lips. Sherlock Holmes was visibly distressed.

* * *

Surprisingly enough, Molly had asked Kairi out for drinks after her shift. As they sat at the pub near St. Bart's, Molly sipping her wine and Kairi taking long sips off her beer. She was quite exhausted by trying her hardest to annoy Sherlock Holmes as much as possible in the lab. She had asked him meaningless questions, poked and touched him, prodded at his experiment and tried to be as vapid as possible. John and Molly could barely concentrate on their work, they were enjoying it so thoroughly.

Molly had asked Kairi for a drink to celebrate the fact that Kairi was able to annoy Sherlock Holmes out of her lab.

"I cannot believe you did that." Molly chucked again, her cheeks reddening after her first glass of wine.

Kairi smiled, "Well he deserved it for being such a punk to you. Not even saying hello to what I imagine is the most attractive and nicest coroner in all of England!"

Molly let out a nervous laugh at that, "Sherlock wouldn't notice beauty if it hit him square in the mouth." She looked rather sad.

"No, I don't believe Sherlock would." Kairi stated, glancing at the sad Doctor. "However, other men do. I guess Sherlock's air of mystery may blind some, however, I do believe his partner to be quite attractive." Kairi waggled her eyebrows.

"Oh John?" Molly scoffed and sipped her wine. "Of course John is lovely, but he leaves quite a trail behind him." She smiled shyly, "He seems to have a new girl each week."

Kairi smiled, "I doubt that is his fault. I wouldn't think relationships would be easily kept when you work with Sherlock Holmes."

Molly frowned, staring deeply into her wine glass, "No, I imagine not."

Kairi tried to hide her smile, "Unless the two parties were already intimately involved with the detective and they knew the risks."

Molly seemed to snap out of her reverie, "I'm sorry?"

Kairi shrugged, "Well if two people decided to date that already knew Sherlock I assume there would be a level of understanding involved that would make it more difficult for Sherlock to ruin it."

Molly frowned at the wine again, obviously in deep thought, "Are you implying John and I-?"

Kairi shrugged again, sipping her beer delicately, "I'm not implying anything." She smiled mischievously, "I am merely making an observation."

Molly almost smiled at that, "That would be an issue then. John and I." Molly seemed disheartened, "Especially since my affection for Sherlock is rather obvious." She blushed.

"So? You're human." Kairi stated, "Its not as if you'd be settling for John. Sherlock doesn't share your affections," Molly frowned again, a deeper curve forming on her lips, "Its not your fault he's a robot. And John obviously likes you."

Molly's eyes widened at that, "M-me?" She sputtered, "No he couldn't. You should see the women he goes out with. Absolutely gorgeous. I'm mousey. I'm meek." She shook her head, "And I don't feel that way about John."

Kairi tried not to giggle, "First of all, you ARE gorgeous! That red hair, your little nose! Those dimples!" Kairi pretended to swoon, which made Molly giggle lightly and blush, "Second of all, you never know where friendship can go. Sometimes the best ones are the ones that sneak up on you and creep into your mind, creating a dwelling in your heart that only they can fit. Sometimes the gorgeous mysterious ones cannot be fixed." Kairi took a deep sip of her beer and sighed, "Sometimes, the ones who seem ordinary are the real mysteries. The ones who some how defy the natural order of douche baggery that seems to be taking over our planet." Kairi smiled and looked up at Molly who was gazing at her, with a longing look in her eyes. "Sometimes its best to forget the ones who hurt you and go for the ones you care for you as a friend. That's usually the best foundation for a good relationship."

Molly nodded her head, looking determined now. A slight flush crept onto her cheeks after the most recent large gulp of wine, "Do you really think that? You think John would like me?"

Kairi shrugged, "Hey, you never know. I'm just saying, its not worth it to waste your time on someone who cant love you back. Its not YOUR fault. There is nothing wrong with you. But maybe its just not right. You're too lovely for Holmes anyways. He deserves to date someone much uglier." Kairi winked and sipped her beer.

Molly chuckled at that, "Don't say that." She sipped the wine and the flush and longing look seemed to dissipate – thoughts of John far away, "He's honestly a decent man. He's just socially stunted. He's trying though. He's much nicer now than before he met John. I think he was truly alone before and he was miserable. Took it out on everyone.

"That's not a good enough excuse to treat everyone like dirt." Kairi seemed to growl. "It's not appropriate at all, the way he condescends to absolutely everyone."

Molly reached out and put a hand on Kairi's, "Honestly, give him a chance. He's not completely devoid of emotion. He risked his life for us you know? For John, for Lestrade. He risked dying to let them live."

Kairi frowned a little immaturely at that. She didn't want Sherlock Holmes to be a hero. Though the mystery around his faked death was endless, rumors were spread, truths were vaguely told. Kairi had gotten most of the story behind The Fall from overheard whispers and hushed tones repeated in the hallways of Scotland Yard. Some still didn't quite believe Sherlock Holmes was genuine. Some still believed in the stories of Richard Brook. Some believed he was his own Moriarty – a split personality formed by years of barely hidden psychosis. Kairi firmly believed he was actually an alien, sent here to berate human kind and instill just enough insecurity to have us all wither into shameful nothingness. With hard eyes, she glanced up at Molly, "I assume you know him almost as good as Lestrade and John, and so I'll make you a deal."

Molly nodded hesitantly, "What kind of deal?"

Kairi smiled, "If you allow your heart to heal from years of Holmes' immature and self-centered behavior and maybe, just maybe allow yourself to enjoy the company of an 'ordinary' and decent man I will give Sherlock Holmes' the benefit of the doubt."

Molly chuckled, "Is this ordinary man already predetermined?"

Kairi smiled and laughed, "No, he is not. I only mention John because he likes you and you like him in a simple and friendly way. Both of you know how Sherlock Holmes truly is. Both of you are already entrenched in his horrible and exciting life. No 'normal' person can actually come out of that kind of life unscathed. It will always be with you. So its best to find someone like you, to help you get through it, as opposed to trying to find someone to help you escape the madness. That's too much pressure for any one person. The stress of this life with Sherlock Holmes' its too dangerous for an outsider."

Molly sighed, "You don't think its too toxic for one another? So much danger?"

Kairi shrugged, "Maybe. But maybe not. I have found that having someone who understands the crazy is vastly more beneficial than pressuring someone to remove the crazy from your life. If you are firmly intent on having Sherlock Holmes in your life, you need someone who understands just how crazy he can make you." Kairi squeezed Molly's hand, "So that's leaves John." She removed her hand and grasped her beer to sip before letting a thought cross her mind, "Or Lestrade." She smiled dreamily and glanced at Molly who blanched and then became red as a beet.

"Oh!" Kairi practically shouted, Molly biting her lip and trying to signal Kairi to remain calm. "I believe a struck gold on that one." She smiled widely and Molly's smile widened around the teeth clamped down on her bottom lip, "Or rather," Kairi continued, "I struck  _silver_?"

Molly let out a large guffaw at that. "Oh Lord, that man. He's just gorgeous isn't he?"

Kairi and Molly giggled for a decent amount of time at the gorgeous Lestrade. "Yes, yes he is. I thought him and his wife were together again, but whispers decree that he's on the market."

Molly frowned again, "Yes his horrible wife." She glanced up at Kairi who was trying her best not to laugh, "Oh dear, I didn't mean – shit!" She frowned at Kairi again, "You're a bad influence on me! Getting me to drink all this wine!"

Kairi chuckled, "All this wine? You've had two glasses! Don't get mad at me for embracing my Irish heritage and indulging in our country's favorite past time and therefore reinforcing my already amazing constitution when it comes to imbibing alcohol! You, young padawan, have not been true to your roots!"

"Amazing constitution my foot!" Molly sputtered, "You're a walking thesaurus after the few pints you've consumed!"

Kairi looked at Molly speculatively, "You may be correct. I have become alarmingly verbose." She smiled wide and Molly laughed.

"All right, enough of how drunk we are getting!" Molly chuckled, "I don't believe I've ever had the company of another live human being not interested in my lab or whipping a corpse with a riding crop – I do believe this is what normal people call  _fun_?" She joked.

Kairi smiled, "Yes," She nodded to Molly, for the first time in her years traveling, in this absolute void of year, she smiled her most genuine smile. She had a friend.

Molly was almost taken a back by Kairi's smile. Aside from the occasional tight lipped or lopsided grin Kairi seemed to frequent, this was a full lipped, teeth baring smile that seemed to bathe her in a halo of light. It immediately transformed her features and Molly realized just how beautiful Kairi really was. The platinum blonde hair, the large almond eyes filled with the color of sea glass, the wide smile and straight teeth framed by rather full, red lips.

Molly smiled, "You should really smile more!" She said encouragingly and she noticed Kairi blush, "Oh stop you gorgeous thing! You can dish out compliments but you cant take them? Its quite lovely. Brightens your face right up."

Kairi remained blushing, "I haven't had much reason to smile lately. You're the first person I've talked to more than just in passing for a few years now."

Molly frowned, "A few years?"

Kairi felt her chest tighten, the level of frivolity was suddenly crashing and she was afraid to drudge up a past she was desperately trying to forget. Her heart had been broken for so long that she forgot just how nice it was to have a friend. Her father was gone for years now and the only other soul to really care for her... Well, she may as well be dead to her.

"Yes." She admitted, the lightheartedness almost completely gone. "I lost my father a few years back. I have one other sibling, a younger sister, who I was never close to. My mother," She swallowed hard and glanced at Molly, her slightly glassy eyes filled with concern, "My mother is gone as well."

Molly's lip quivered slightly, "I'm so very sorry."

Kairi gave another tight smile, "Don't be. Its not your fault."

Molly nodded, "Doesn't matter. You still deserve someone's sympathy. Its not the same as pity you know."

Kairi chuckled darkly at that, "You're right." She looked at Molly and nodded, trying to erase the darkness from her features. "I'm going to step outside for a cigarette. You don't smoke do you?"

Molly shook her head, "I am sorry if I upset you."

Kairi shook her head, "Don't worry. I promise its not your fault. I try to forget it often but cant to erase that section of my life like the others." She smiled weakly, "Honestly, its not as if you've suddenly unearthed something that was not there before. I'll have my cigarette, murder my lungs a bit, and be back, right as rain." She nodded to Molly as she grabbed her beer, "Maybe you should give Lestrade or John a call and have them meet us for drinks."

Molly blushed again, "I'll see what I can do."

Kairi decided to beam at Molly, trying to dispel the poor woman's guilt for drudging up a bit of Kairi's dark past. Her life was not horrible in comparison to some. She walked outside and lit up her cigarette on the patio, sitting at an empty table among the hustle and bustle of the locals. She sipped her beer and sighed. She had lost her parents, though they were slightly younger, it was not unheard of – especially in a military family. Her sister and her had been and always would be estranged. The younger, more beautiful of the two had distanced herself from the apparent misery of their situation and made the best out of what she could. She was a very successful speech pathologist in California married to a successful defense attorney who specialized in workers' compensation claims. She had two daughters, lovely, spry things who played sports and played an instrument and had sleep-overs. They were normal and did not much talk about their estranged Auntie who sent them cards on holidays and presents on birthdays. She had not seen her sister or her children since about a year after their father had passed away. Her sister was always so resilient. Kairi was amazed at how well she had coped with their father's death. Despite Kairi being the oldest, she always felt like her parents were more protective of her than they were of Heather. Heather could cope. Heather could socialize. Heather was normal, like them. Kairi was not.

She shook her head, trying her hardest to dissipate the dark thoughts. She had done very well for herself in forgetting her childhood. She couldn't remember anything before she was about ten. It didn't matter. She just assumed that it was just a boring, normal life and nothing special had happened. She had glimpses of course, playing ball with her dad, learning to sew with her mother, but nothing of great importance. Not even a birthday. She shrugged it away, putting those thoughts back in the damp, dark vault of her mind. And sat calmly finishing her cigarette and thinking about implying new safety protocols using HTML 5. She had a few more tutorials to go over before she would become perfectly versed in it, like she was in the other programming languages.

Her eyes were fluttering a bit drunkenly over imaginary embedding tags floating through the air when her phone began to ring. She almost didn't know it was her own phone until she realized probably no one else would have the Power Rangers theme song as their ring tone. She pulled the practically unused phone from her pocket, and looked at the screen and noticed the number was from America. She squinted, pretty sure it wasn't her sister or her husband's number and slid the lock open to answer, "Hello?" She said while exhaling smoke.

There was a distant silence on the other end of the phone and Kairi frowned, "Hellooo?"

There was still no response. Kairi was about to hang up when she heard a very faint whisper on the other end of the line. She closed her eyes and put a finger in her other ear, hoping she could block out the sights and sounds of the pub around her and hear what was being said.

"Speak up I cant hear you!" She growled into the phone, but the line went dead. She glared at the phone, stomped out her cigarette and stuffed the phone in her pocket with a flourish. She grabbed her beer and shrugged it off. Probably some stupid prank call.

When she walked back into the pub, she made her way back to Molly and found that Molly was no longer at the table they sat at. She frowned slightly, upset for a moment that she had been ditched and she felt completely dejected. That was until she heard a shrill whistle to her side and she glanced over and saw Molly sitting with Lestrade, John, and... Kairi had to blink several times. She had to be hallucinating.

Sherlock Holmes was sitting – admittedly, looking extremely uncomfortable – in a pub with an untouched pint in front of him.

Kairi began to laugh hard again for the first time since she had punched him.


	5. -5-

Kairi woke up with the horrendously fuzzy feeling of a hangover. She looked around and was happy to see she was in her bed alone. Not that she often woke up with the company of strange men, but it wouldn't be completely crazy to think of it. Sometimes she was perfectly capable of pretending to be a bona-fide human being. Some times she felt comfortable in her own skin.

This was not one of those times. Right now, she was horrified of her own skin. It felt like sandpaper coated her body, grating against her nerve endings, and coating all the way down her throat. She grazed her hand across her face slowly, the skin feeling slack and papery. She reflexively closed her eyes again, groaning lightly and hating her poor decision making skills. Bad clothes, bad shoes, too much to drink – what a mess! She slowly pushed herself up from her stomach, onto her elbows and then hands and knees.

Big mistake.

She felt her stomach lurch with the sour sick feeling of being ridiculously empty and yet so acidic she felt like it would start to eat away at her from the inside. She paused for a moment, trying to let her swimming thoughts solidify before she felt like moving and puking again. She stood very slowly and tentatively made her way to her bathroom where a shaky hand turned on the faucet to gulp down some water and a few Ibuprofen tablets. She scratched at her head and yanked down the t-shirt that was barely covering the tops of her bikini briefs and made her way to her closed bedroom door. She opened it slowly and with squinting, unfocused eyes and took her first step, only to tumble over a large, furry lump.

From her hands and knees she looked back at Appa who was sleepily wagging his tail at her, completely unfazed by her small frame toppling over him,"What in the hell Appa?" She slowly climbed to her feet, staring at the dog who was lying protectively at her door jamb. "Why are you lying there?"

"I believe he is there to ensure that I would not approach you during the night."

Kairi looked shocked for a second, wondering how Appa had suddenly learned to speak, and why he was speaking in such a proper, English manner. Many times she imagined he had a voice, but she usually heard Gerard Butler, Sean Connery. Maybe even David Tennant. She realized that there was a pattern evolving... She shook her head and stared at the dog again, she was not surprised at the low timbre of his voice. He was an awesome dog, of course he'd have a sexy voice. She shrugged, a 'not bad' impression on her face.

Then, her hung over brain finally caught up with her. The low, sexy voice, was actually coming from behind her. Of course Appa did not speak – though that development would ensure she'd never need another human companion or ever have a need to go outside ever again. She turned slowly on her heels, Appa still at her feet, glaring slightly at the form sitting straight and unmoving in her favorite chair, her laptop open before him. The tall, gaunt man, his haunting eyes and unsmiling face was a horror to behold so early in the morning and with so little mental faculties.

She glared at the man, sitting in a full suit, his jacket draped over the back of her favorite chair, looking as fresh as a daisy, all bright and aware so early in the morning. And there she was, her hair a mess, her mouth tasted like an ashtray and she was only clad in her -

That was when she shrieked, scaring the living hell out of Appa and even Sherlock Holmes who just minutely jumped, his eyes widening in the slightest way as she jumped behind her door frame and stuck her head out.

"It doesn't matter much to me what you are wearing." Holmes said non nonchalantly, "I was already present for your disrobing last night when we arrived at your home after a most indulgent night of frivolities." He spat sarcastically.

"NOMYGOD" Kairi groaned, hitting her head against the door jamb and instantly regretting it. "WHY ARE YOU HERE!?" She shrieked again, Appa sitting patiently beside her, his tail almost wagging.

The man adjusted himself in the chair and sighed, "I was your escort."

Appa growled, low in his throat. Kairi's eyes widened, "ESCORT!?" She said indignantly, "I, in no way, shape, or form was cognizant enough to consent to you as my escort!"

There was an awkward pause, "That would be correct. You were rather intoxicated."

Kairi thumped her head against the doorjamb once again and glanced out at the stiffly sitting Holmes, still in her favorite chair. She glared at him slightly, "All right, I will admit that. Then why are you still here?"

He paused and glanced over at her raising an eyebrow and he cleared his throat and shifted, "You invited me to stay."

There was a long silence while Kairi's eyes threatened to pop out of her head. For a moment, she stood bolt upright, once again standing before Sherlock Holmes in nothing but a t-shirt and her iron man underwear, putting a hand to her disheveled hair, "I, WHAT!?" She shrieked again, her voice so high it threatened to break the empty glasses on the table.

Sherlock Holmes eyes widened slightly, staring at Kairi, his eyes only momentarily shifting up and down her body. He cleared his throat again and looked away, responding rather timidly, "I'm assuming you don't remember much of the night." His eyes still traveling every where else in her front room than to the scantily clad mess before him. He regretted the stirring in his stomach, looking at Kairi in her knickers. He was bored of course, distractions affected him more when he was not on a case. Trivial things like eating, drinking, lethargy, and very rarely, women – a very faint and annoying weakness of being almost human. He took the time to busy his mind with studying their surroundings while explaining the night, "Yes. It was quite eventful. You and Molly invited us to the pub, with Lestrade. When we arrived you already had well enough to drink – its interesting to see that you and Molly, though quite similar in physique," He glanced back at her again but when Kairi felt his eyes burning into her skin, she remembered she was almost naked and hopped behind the door frame again, her mash of hair and glaring eyes peering directly into him, "You have a vastly higher tolerance to alcohol than she does. Probably more of a built up immunity than genetic propensity."

Kairi glared at him, "I may be hung over, but I think you just basically called me a lush. How about you stop making assumptions about my fat drunk ass okay!?" She growled at him.

Holmes fixed his gaze on her, focusing his glare, "I am not making  _assumptions_ ," He practically spat out the word, "And I didn't call you fat or a lush. I was merely stating that you've built up a tolerance for alcohol in comparison to Molly who has no taste for it."

She scoffed, "So now I'm an  _alcoholic_  fatty who  _likes_  to get drunk all the time?"

He glared at her again, "Stop  _doing_  that!"

Her glare intensified for a moment until he saw her head disappear into her bedroom, Appa still sitting in front of the open doorway, glaring at Sherlock. Sherlock returned the glare and held it until Kairi finally returned after some shuffling around. She was wearing pants now and a thick strapped tank top which exposed her strong shoulders. The right shoulder was covered with a capped sleeve of ink, in intricate, dark patterns. Of the most prominent was a rose, a traditional Chinese dragon, and a stem of small, barely pink cherry blossoms, entwined with swirling, solid lines. It was beautiful art.

Her hand perched on her hips, her dog at her side and she glared at him again, "Stop doing  _what!?_  I have half a mind to punch you again, but I promised myself I'd make it a month without hitting you!"

"Stop twisting my words about. Its an infuriating and an abominably  _female_  habit!"

She put up her hand to stop his words, "I'm sorry, are you insulting the fairer sex? In my home?" She scoffed and glared at him again, he almost looked scared. She was surprised that his eyes were so telling despite his down right cold exterior, "Just...just shut up. Do you want coffee?"

Sherlock swallowed hard, "Yes please." He nodded and she walked past him fitfully, Appa at her heels and still glaring at Sherlock seriously, "And for the record, you are not fat." He stared at his cuticles for a moment, then resumed his glances around her home. He saw few pictures, few little knick knacks that people tended to keep. Her home was warm, purchased from a magazine, but rather sterile, not very personal other than the mess she made. He glanced towards her bedroom for a moment, wondering how personal it might be. Though he deduced much factually about her past, he was uncomfortable to admit he did not know much about her on a personal level - as volatile as she could be. He glanced to her, in the kitchen, flitting about, "Though it may be wise to invest in clothing that fits you properly."

Kairi rolled her eyes, adjusting the sleeve of the tank top that slid down her shoulder as she navigated around her kitchen, preparing the coffee and shaking her head, "Well with the check your brother gave me, I have the ability to purchase new clothes. Maybe a new identity since this one is so very shameful."

Sherlock stiffened at the mention of his brother and he turned to glance at Kairi, still looking slightly disheveled, "And you're going to take that position he offered?" He said rather distastefully.

She shrugged, "It would be good for me, my career. I haven't had a solid job in my area of expertise in quite some time. Do you take cream and sugar?"

"Black actually," He murmured, "Two sugars."

She looked up from putting ingredients in their cups, "Isn't it just black when you don't take anything in it?" A teasing smile threatening her lips.

Sherlock glanced at her, raising an eyebrow, "Are you trying to be funny?"

Kairi shook her head, "Yes, you robot, I was teasing you. Good God, you didn't get drunk last night did you? I imagine you'd be a very dreary drunk. A real downer. Maybe  _that's_  why I drank so much."

He frowned slightly, "Many people enjoy my company."

Kairi scoffed, "John." She corrected him, " _John_  enjoys your company."

He made a low growl in his throat at that, crossing his arms like a child, "So am I unwelcome?"

Kairi smiled, "I punched you in the face a bit back, I think you at least deserve a coffee for that." She smiled bringing the cups around the bar in her kitchen and stood directly in front of Sherlock Holmes, "Plus you made me quite popular by allowing me to punch you in the face." She smiled and handed him his cup, "I'm going outside for a cigarette. Would you like to join me?"

He stood slowly and followed her out to her balcony. Appa was very carefully positioning himself between Sherlock and Kairi as they made their way outside. Kairi grabbed a large, rather fluffy jacket hanging by the door and slipped it on. Sherlock paused and grabbed his large coat to make their way outside. He slipped it on his shoulders just as Kairi zipped up her jacket, shivering slightly and pulling out her cigarette case.

"Its not that cold." He said softly, a little indignantly, as she offered him her case and lighter.

"You forget, I am a lowly American, not acclimatized to this weather." She inhaled deeply on her cigarette and wrapped her available fingers around the toasty mug, "I prefer beaches and sunshine compared to clouds and brooding."

Sherlock's lip twitched at that before taking a sip of his coffee.

Kairi exhaled and smiled widely, "I almost got you on that one Tin Man."

He glanced at her again as he took a deep breath of nicotine, "Tin Man?"

She shook her head, "I forget, most pop culture references are lost on you, aren't they?"

He nodded to her, "Pop culture references are extremely trivial."

Kairi smiled again, "Yes but then you wont know if someone is insulting you."

He scoffed, "Most people of sub-intelligent thinking cannot insult me enough to bother me."

"Well good then." She smiled sipping her coffee and shuffling her boot-clad feet, "It makes it all that much better to laugh at your expense."

"I rarely indulge in enough social activity to have people laugh at my expense." He added, coldly.

"Well all of us idiots do enjoy it anyway. But, I've noticed." She nodded, "So what inspired you to stay last night?" She took a long drag from her cigarette and smiled proudly at Sherlock Holmes, "I'm rather good at not choking on my own vomit in my sleep, being a professional lush and all."

Sherlock shook his head slightly, "I did not intend-," He began and then shut his mouth at the shinning look in her eye. She was having him on. "I was told that it was my duty as a gentleman."

She chuckled, "You? A gentleman?" She scoffed. There was an awkward silence for a few moments while Kairi shuffled her feet and glanced at Sherlock who continued to brood while gazing at her modest skyline.

She was on the third floor of a rather simple building. Her home was nicely sized, perfect for one and her dog. She was happy here. It seemed to be just too small for Sherlock Holmes. He seemed to fill up the entire expanse of her home with just his thoughts, even crowding her roomy balcony. Cataloging every minute detail and determining her life story from her paltry possessions.

"Thank you." She added softly. "You didn't have to stay and watch out for me. You didn't have to ensure I wasn't harmed, but you did. So thank you." She looked up at him and smiled a very genuine, if tame smile.

Sherlock froze, but recovered quickly while glancing at her. With her smile, almost for a moment, Sherlock felt his breath hitch. It was so surprisingly full of emotion that reached deep into her eyes. It seemed to make the sun seem just the tiniest bit brighter and despite her hair being rather unkempt, she looked quite lovely. He tore his glance from her, setting his almost-grimace back on the horizon. Their constant back and forth and her habit of misunderstanding every word he said was infuriating. He knew she was smart, competent, and her eyes told him that she was kind. Her actions last night, though some what ridiculous, showed how much she craved human interaction and attention. She was rather lonely. It seemed that her and Molly would be suited for one another after all. The mousey coroner and the surprisingly loud mouth programmer, some how made an excellent fit. He cleared his throat, "No matter. It seemed John and Lestrade were intent on convincing Molly to go home with one of them. That left me to care for you."

Her eyes widened in surprise over his choice of words, "Well it does matter, so thank you." She chuckled lightly, "You could have left me to die in a puddle of my own refuse, but instead of compete for the lovely Molly's affections, you decided to tend to the chubby, bookish, violent, lush."

Kairi watched from the corner of her eyes as Sherlock's shoulders slumped and he dropped his gaze slightly. Kairi smiled, she couldn't help but enjoy teasing this man, so utterly devoid of practical protocols of human interaction. She noticed that he turned to face her fully now and she turned to him with a coy grin on her lips. She was surprised to see his gaze rather serious and so she returned his look, waiting for his words.

"I do not think you are  _chubby_ ," He said with distaste, though his features remained stoney, "And being bookish is not a bad thing. Its obvious by your bookshelf and electronic reader that you are very well read in many different genres and languages. I personally find that impressive-,"

"You went through my kindle?" Kairi replied.

"Let me finish." He snapped at her and she bit her lip, trying not to giggle. He watched her white teeth bite into the delicate flesh and an unfamiliar roll spread through his limbs, he glared a little more deeply, not understanding why he was so inclined to defend himself. "Your extensive reading is something I can respect in an ordinary human-,"

"You sound like an alien." She murmured quietly, but she decided to remain quiet because of the glare that he shot her as he continued.

" - And you are not any worse than the normal populace while drinking. Despite my calculations on your blood alcohol content, you were rather well-behaved for the amount of alcohol you consumed – if you consider singing impromptu Karaoke well-behaved." He exhaled and brought the cup of coffee to his lips.

She chuckled, "Yeah, but I bet I rocked it at Karaoke. Did I sing Queen?"

His eyes narrowed at her, "I'm not familiar with current music."

Her mouth instantly dropped and she looked as if he had called her overweight again. "You don't know who Queen is!?"

He shook his head infinitesimally, "Should I?"

She kept staring at him, hopelessly lost in her own mind. "How do you even function?"

It was his turn to look appalled, "How do  _I_  function?" He almost laughed her, "You  _tiny_  humans and your  _simple_ brains that hold so much useless information. You're all so obsessed with your hair, your clothes, who is shagging who! Look at yourself! You get drunk in order to gain attention from your peers," He flicked the cigarette over the balcony with flourish, "Its pathetic."

Kairi was surprised by how changeable this man could be - a moment ago they were talking about classic rock and now he was calling her simple and pathetic! She narrowed her eyes at her shoes, her mouth turning ever so slightly into a sad frown. She stared back up at him, her bright eyes lit with fury, "You have NO idea why I do anything that I do." She growled, "You may think you know the reason behind why people act a certain way, but then again you tend surround yourself with idiots!" She stomped her foot, "You are no more special than anyone else in this world Sherlock Holmes!"

He scoffed at her, slamming his coffee cup on the table beside her, "How  _very_  wrong you are." He spat, vehemently. He was infuriated. This tiny, useless woman, who could be so much more, let her stupid, primitive mind be ruled by emotions.

"Oh I'm right and I  _know_  it." She jabbed two fingers, clasping a cigarette, in his chest. He tried to brush it away but she only jabbed him harder, "You are just as lonely and desperate as anyone else in this world," She prodded him further, "John accepted you because he was sick and needed a thrill! But you, oh you! You are  _desperate_  for attention – the more negative the better! Nothing can make you hate yourself more than you already do Mr. Holmes!" She spat at him. "You are narcissistic, obsessive and so very, very sad! You crave human interaction but you fear rejection  _far_  too much to let yourself be involved with anyone else. You hide behind your deductions like a whore hides behind clothing!" She got so close to him his chin almost touched her nose as she glared up to him, "Everyone knows what lies beneath Mr. Holmes, a scared, sad little boy fighting against his family and love and sanity just because you fear what normalcy could actually bring you!"

He laughed at her now, she was horrified at how genuine it sounded, "What a sad little mind you have." He set his icy stare on her and she managed not to flinch, unlike the many others who wilted beneath his gaze. "Preaching to the choir now? Think you can deduce me?"

Kairi finally took a step back and chuckled resigning to is impunity, "Oh Mr. Holmes, you have no idea. I don't  _have_  to deduce you. Its very easy to see. You are human after all, aren't you? Even if its so very minimal." She sighed deeply, deciding not to look at his infuriating face. "You are just as lonely and sad as the rest of us, wanting people to recognize your brilliance so you shove it down their throats!" She took a deep inhale of her cigarette, looking disdainfully at the consulting detective. "You are so scared, so sad, so very alone, except for John who somehow understands and loves you despite the massive idiot that you are!"

Sherlock Holmes was silent, fuming. He turned towards the door, reaching for the handle.

"Sherlock."

He didn't pause as he reached for the handle, his hand grasping the cold metal of the elegant knob.

Kairi reached out a hand and grabbed his shoulder forcefully spinning him on the spot, "Damnit Mr. Holmes, why must you be so difficult? Is it THAT hard for you to interact with other people? Why can't you take a simple joke, a genuine touch? Why cant you just be  _normal_?"

His eyes finally met hers, the bright orbs shaking as thoughts raced through his brain, "Normal. Is.  _Boring_." He said, slowly emphasizing each word. "And so I must go. Do enjoy your job with my brother. I think he will be rather infuriating for you." He growled and turned quickly, opening the door with a very wide swing.

Kairi watched as Sherlock Holmes stormed from her apartment. She kicked the door shut a little more than gently and glared back in through the window at the silent home.

"This is why we cant have nice things, Appa." Kairi said to her dog, sitting at her feet and whining sympathetically. "I ruin everything I touch."

* * *

_A/N_

_So I REALLY enjoyed this chapter and then I really hated it :( Hopefully you all end up at least moderately thinking its not complete shit. I'm okay with that._

_Thanks again for all the support. I promise I will get to "story" eventually, but I do fear rushing it. I don't want Kairi and Sherlock to have this relationship where *suddenly* they love each other. I don't think you can possibly have a relationship with Sherlock Holmes without punching him or yelling at him, especially if you love him - I.e. John Watson. Despite the growth I believe Sherlock encounters during Reichenbach (sacrificing everything to save the people he has sentiment for) which allows him and Kairi to converse almost amicably, I honestly think he's pretty damn scared and hurt. I don't think all of what Kairi says to him ACTUALLY applies...but sometimes you say petty things to hurt people who've hurt you...A very human, confused interaction between two very dysfunctional people._

_So bear with me. I hope its good enough or at least fun enough to keep you entertained. Pls let me know if you like it, hate it, wish I would die in a fiery plane rash to be later devoured by sharks. I do enjoy responding to people, so if you have ANYTHING you'd like to say, please say it. Even if its flames...sometimes those are even more fun to respond to._

_Much love._


	6. -6-

Kairi paced up and down her hallway, with her phone in hand. It was later in the day and the sun was setting beautifully this afternoon. She would walk just far enough to glance at the pink, orange and purple sky and then she'd shake her head from the distraction and turn back to the task at hand.

She sighed, looking at the phone, typing in a few numbers, almost pressing send, then exiting out of the call screen before she could complete the call. She did this too many times to count, with Appa behind her, mouth open wide and a happy tongue lolling out the side. She made her way out of her front room, into her modest bedroom and looked around.

Kairi had ordered everything from an outlet store nearby. A dark wood dresser for some of her clothes, an ornate bed frame of the same color with a comfy mattress covered with a beautiful chevron comforter with white, turquoise, bright yellow, and gray lines. Her sheets were also turquoise. The room itself was bright and fun, but didn't hold much personally. She assumed most women her age would have interesting art, photos of their children, photos of their loved ones.

Photographs just made her hurt more. The memories of her life before the war, before her mother's sickness, it just hurt too much to think about those things. Thankfully, she was wonderfully adept at shutting herself down emotionally. She'd done it when she was younger, then when she finally started dating – those one or two fellows – and after the war seemed to destroy everything she held dear.

She shook her head, trying to shake loose the thoughts trying to cling to her. Faces, smells, sounds, all suddenly became dull and she took a deep, shaking breath. She glanced down at her phone, deciding that she didn't have the balls to make the phone call at the moment. She exited her bedroom shutting the door with more strength than she intended. She walked into her kitchen, stopped an sighed. She picked up her phone and dialed in the number she was dreading to call.

* * *

Sherlock's phone rang and he picked it up, glancing at the unfamiliar number. He detested phone calls, but answered it anyway. "Mmhmm." He said simply into the speaker.

John glanced up, intrigued by Sherlock actually answering a phone call and stared for a moment then went back to clicking the keys of his laptop through another solved case involving identity theft.

"Really John," A moment later Sherlock was suddenly behind him and clicked his tongue in disapproval, "Where's Waldo?"

John glared at the computer screen. He wasn't happy with the title either, but he'd been hit with writers block over the case they just solved about a murdered old woman and a missing parakeet, "Its a working title, Sherlock."

"Hmph." Sherlock grunted as he passed by, now obviously off the phone.

"Who was that?" John tried to mention casually as he typed away.

"Who was what?" Sherlock said, sounding rather grumpy as he slouched down in his chair.

John sighed. Sherlock was currently in between cases and still acting bitter and hateful towards the world since they had gone out drinking with Molly, Kairi, and Lestrade two weeks ago. "On the phone."

Sherlock glared at John for a moment, "A contact. Looking into information about Moriarty."

John's interest was piqued, "I thought we weren't getting anywhere on that?"

A low growl formed in Sherlock's throat, "We aren't." He stood abruptly and walked towards his bedroom while John just sort of stared after him, heard some rustling and saw Sherlock emerge from his room with his long wool coat.

"We going somewhere?" John asked nonchalantly.

Sherlock looked at him dramatically, rolling his eyes and giving an exasperated sigh, "Yes. Grab your coat." He groaned and walked towards the door, grumbling something about John's simple mind. John simply smiled and grabbed his jacket off the back of his chair and followed Sherlock out the door.

* * *

"Well, I know this is odd, but I do really need some help." Kairi send into her phone's receiver. "I'm just a bit out of my depth here." She said meekly and tried not to sigh. She was desperate and needed help before it was too late.

"Oh, erm." Molly responded, "I mean of course I'll go but..."

"But what?" Kairi said tentatively.

"Well," Molly gulped over the phone, sounding awkward, "Why would you want my help?"

Kairi chuckled, "I'm female. You're female. This is supposed to work."

Molly chuckled lightly at that and Kairi giggled along with her, "But why me?" Molly said a little nervously, "You've seen how I dress! How am I supposed to help you shopping?"

Kairi chuckled, "First of all, you dress wonderfully! Second, I don't know! I suck at this too, but there has to be enough estrogen between us to actually accomplish something!" Kairi said a little desperately, "I mean, this will be my first professional job, not in a dimly lit cubicle or the deepest pit of some random building. I have to actually give a shit." She muttered, "Plus Mycroft gave me a lot of money. I'm sure I can afford to spend a little bit on you too!"

Molly was silent for a beat, "Well, I don't know..."

Kairi chuckled, "Of course you do! Free stuff! WOOOO!" She said excitedly and heard Molly chuckle.

"Well since you aren't a member of Scotland Yard any more, I guess its okay for you to bribe me now." Kairi could hear her timid smile over the phone.

"Perfect. Pick you up in a few, all right?" Kairi smiled.

Molly coughed, "Yes, all right."

Kairi hung up the phone before the nervousness could take over Molly and she sprinted to her room, grabbed her jacket, and sprinted back to the front door, scooping up her keys and wallet. She turned quickly and dipped to one knee covered by the faux suede of her thigh high boots, grabbed Appa by his fluffy jowls and planted a big kiss on his face. "I'll see you later my love! Momma's going shopping!"

Appa barked excitedly and Kairi pretended it was in response to her words and not her overwhelming energy. She smiled as she went out the door and bounded down a few flights of stairs. Wrapping her infinity scarf around her neck and pulling a rather defined, round hat on top of her head that came from her pockets. As she stepped outside, she shivered involuntarily and glanced around. No one seemed to be as bundled up as her, in her pea coat, short wool skirt, and thick wool tights covered by boots that went a third of the way up her thigh, but she didn't mind. She was comfortable, for once, in this damned weather, and she felt rather cute as well.

Most of her clothes were from consignment shops or discount boutiques. She could never find the courage to spend more than twenty dollars on any given scrap of clothing, so most of her money and her time went to finding bits and pieces of clothing at thrift stores and revamping them at home with her modest sewing machine that had once belonged to her mother.

She hailed a cab, feeling like Mary Tyler Moore, but knew the British may frown upon her breaking into song and dance in the middle of a crowded, public street.

Some days you just wake up feeling wonderful.

* * *

John and Sherlock sat in a silent cab. The driver was noisily talking on the phone in another language and John kept glancing at Sherlock, curious of course as to where they were going since Sherlock had not said a single thing.

"So," John started.

"No." Sherlock simply said.

John huffed. "You don't even know what I was going to sa-,"

"You were going to ask about Moriarty. You were going to ask about where we are going." Sherlock stated matter of factly and slouched a little more in his seat, but remained silent.

John shrugged, his eye brows lifting in a sort of exasperated way as he glanced out the window.

* * *

"How is this one?" Kairi came out of the dressing room and did a tiny little twirl for Molly.

Molly sat, a little uncomfortable looking, but you could see the excitement written all over her face, "Oh I like that one! It makes you all curvy looking." She smiled brightly.

Kairi laughed a little and turned to look at herself in the mirror, "Molly dearest, everything makes me curvy looking."

Molly sputtered a bit, "No I wasn't meaning that!"

Kairi smiled over her shoulder at Molly, "Its honestly okay Molly. I'm curvy! So what? I'm not fat!" She shrugged her shoulders and looked back at herself, "Well at least I don't think so." Her hands followed the lines of the loose, pearl colored silky blouse atop the mauve colored pencil skirt.

"Oh if you're referencing Sherlock..." Molly said in a growly voice – at least for her.

Kairi sighed, "Of course I'm talking about him. The nit-wit has been avoiding me for two weeks after our little spat. He's so very sensitive for someone who pretends not to have emotions and is such a raging prick."

Molly chuckled, "You are right though. He is very sensitive. That's why its so much easier for him to attack people instead of wait for them to attack him."

Kairi turned slowly, an impressed turn on her lip. She nodded at Molly, "Why Molly dearest, I do believe you have hit it spot on. At least that's my opinion anyways." Kairi finished and went back into the changing room to try on her last dress, "Which he obviously didn't appreciate." She grumbled sarcastically.

* * *

"Right, so." John began again, "Where are we going exactly?"

Sherlock glared at him through the corner of his eye, "It must be so-,"

"Yes," John said exasperated, "So incredibly boring in my vapid brain space," John did his best, haughty Sherlock impression, which seemed to gleam a twitch of the lips from the morose detective. "Indulge my stupidity then. Where are we going?"

"See for yourself. We've just arrived." Sherlock responded.

The cab began to slow, though the foreign taxi driver continued to speak rapidly and loudly into his blue tooth headset. He pointed abjectly at the meter and Sherlock threw a few bills at him, barely registering what they said.

John and Sherlock emerged from the cab and it sped away – obviously hoping the paying idiot wouldn't realize his cash mistake. John rolled his eyes as Sherlock flapped his coat around him gently, popping up the collar. He sighed lightly, but Sherlock still heard him and glared at him for a moment.

"And who do we know here?" John asked.

A grin spread over Sherlock's mouth and he began to walk rapidly toward the entrance, "You shall see."

* * *

Kairi slipped into the comfortable black number. It was made of a very cozy combination of cashmere, cotton, and a bit of Lycra. It was a simple sleeveless tube like dress, with a modest, square neckline that framed her collar bones nicely. The bodice was fitting, with wonderfully placed pleats and darts to allow for mobility and maximum curve without awkward bunching. The hem of the skirt reached just above her knee and there was a tiny slit in the back to allow for comfortable walking. The dress was made for skinnier women, but Kairi was proud to say that it fit her wondrously. It breathed beautifully, conformed to Kairi in a flattering way without being too whorish, and it was comfortable as sin. She finished zipping it up and made a bit of a squeaking sound when she turned to look at herself in the mirror.

She smiled wide. Safe to say, she'd be buying one in every color.

"Oh Molly, wait until you see this one. You'll love it. You will have to try one on. Its  _so_  comfortable! I feel like sex, wrapped in chocolate, riding a unicorn on the beach!" She smiled brightly and opened the door wide, her smile frozen on her face.

"Sex wrapped in chocolate?"

Her smile dropped.

"I hardly think that is a very clear way to quantify your comfort level."

Her eyes narrowed.

"And sex is highly subjective. What may have been amazing for you might be dreary to someone else. Boring the lot of it."

Her hands perched on her hips, and they were having such a nice day.

"Sherlock." Kairi muttered, nodding her head slightly but not removing the vehemence from her voice.

She glanced at Molly and John who were talking to each other in hushed tones, but animated eyes. Kairi couldn't help but let her features soften at the sight of the two.

It just be nice to have someone to make you smile like that.

She shook her head to vanish her thoughts and looked back at Sherlock, her face a mask of impatience, "Why are you here ruining my perfectly wonderful girls' day out?" She glared at him and John chuckled as he saw Sherlock recoil ever so slightly. "Do you know how many of these things I've had? I could count them on half of one hand!"

Sherlock took a deep breath, stepping closer to Kairi to glance up and down at her. The dress was impressive. Expensive. But made her look very feminine. "I was right about you purchasing clothes that fit. It looks lovely on you."

Kairi was about to reply with a scathing remark she had prepared for his negativity, "Oh yeah!? Well you're – huh?" She was frozen in the moment, as were John and Molly. All of them were staring agape at Sherlock.

Sherlock sighed dramatically. "I need a cigarette."

Kairi frowned again, "That's why you stalked me? A cigarette?!"

He frowned at her, "I need to think." He said, his eyes seemed to travel all over her face, her bare arms, and the aforementioned dress. "Smoking helps me think."

Kairi let out an abrupt sigh, "I haven't brought them with me. They are back at my apartment."

Sherlock bit his lip and stomped his foot with a flourish, "Damn!" He growled.

"I mean we can go round to a shop and buy some if you're that desperate." Kairi said, raising an eyebrow at his infuriated behavior.

"No." Sherlock said in a grave voice, "That just wont do." He muttered.

Kairi was about to respond when Sherlock grabbed her wrist and yanked her towards the exit of the dressing rooms. Kairi was able to grab her coat and Molly tossed her boots as she was dragged away from her and John. "Never forget me!" She said with an air of drama as she was pulled from their giggling view. "What are you doing!?" Kairi grumbled to Sherlock in a harsh whisper.

"I need to think." He muttered, "Smoking with you helps me think."

 _That's odd._  Kairi thought, "All right, hold your horses."

Sherlock stopped dead in his tracks and Kairi rammed into his side as he was turning to her, "I don't have any horses." He looked completely astonished that she would mention such a thing.

Kairi sighed, rolling her eyes, "Dear Lord child." She muttered and then patted her body, realizing she was still wearing the store's dress, "Sherlock, I need to go back and change. I need to pay for these clothes."

Sherlock did his sigh again and yanked her towards the front desk where an awaiting blonde twenty something was working, "May I help you?" Kairi, still barefoot, decided it was time to put on her boots.

"Yes." Sherlock said curtly, waiting a good, few awkward seconds before continuing, but this time his voice was softer, smoother, his smile seemed genuine, "I need to purchase this dress and whatever else she was trying on. The blonde gentlemen and that gorgeous red haired thing over there will be collecting the items for me and bring them along later." Kairi finished zipping up half her leg and straightened, staring at Sherlock, her mouth completely agape. She could  _swear_  she could see a soul behind those eyes, "You see, I just cant seem to wait to get my darling home! She just got a new job so we are celebrating with a little spending spree!" He smiled again and the blonde behind the counter was sopping up every gooey word. "I'll probably regret it later, but I just cant help myself around her."

He now glanced at Kairi, his features full of life and his eyes adoring her. She still stared back at him, completely blown away and even mildly offended by this foreign exterior.

"She just cant believe it either!" He chuckled nonchalantly, "How silly she can be." He took this moment to flick her nose gently and Kairi went cross-eyed for a moment and her eyes settled on the blonde who was smiling abnormally wide with watery eyes and her hands clasped over her heart.

"Uh..." Was all Kairi could manage.

Sherlock focused his attention back on the blonde, "She will be wearing it out." He said and then his normal, stony features returned in almost an instant as he slapped his black credit card on the counter and glanced at Kairi once more, "Please include one of every color in this dress style." He added as an after thought and dragged Kairi out of the store.

She could barely form sentences as she just stared, confused at the obviously schizophrenic detective. Her mind was still reeling from his multiple personality disorder.

* * *

Kairi opened her door laughing, slipping her coat from her shoulders as Appa came bounding towards her. He skidded to a stop when he saw Sherlock and proceeded to push himself between them.

Sherlock glowered at the beast as it followed Kairi to her room. She glanced over her shoulder and continued talking, "I can't believe how ridiculous that was. John will never let you forget it!"

"Doesn't matter." He muttered, his eyes seeming to move a mile a minute, searching her home for something, anything.

A voice came from inside Kairi's bedroom, "On the table outside!"

 _Of course!_  He yelled in his own mind, the voice seeming to echo inside of his palace.

"Meet you out there!" She added with more rustling of clothes.

Sherlock made a beeline for the outside patio and paused momentarily when some movement caught his vision out of the corner of his eye.

He watched for what seemed like hours as Kairi began to undress. She pulled the zipper down her back, revealing snowy, smooth skin, clad in black, lacy underthings. Before she removed the dress completely, his eyes widened and he gulped down whatever thoughts and emotions stirred beneath his skin and quashed them quickly as he headed out to her balcony.

He reached for her cigarette case, pulling one free and lighting it up with such satisfaction. He took a few deep inhales when he heard the door open to the patio. "I already informed Molly and John of our plan. They shall be following shortly, bringing some wine and I think there was mention of some sort of food." He said haphazardly as his brain began to slow down and individual thoughts were more easily seen.

When Kairi didn't respond he turned, holding out her cigarette case and lighter.

He finally looked in her direction and was mildly surprised.

She was standing there, in another pair of those calf skin fuzzy boots, black stretch pants tucked into them, covered by her large, outside smoking jacket, and a rather odd looking orange beanie covering her head. However, her choice of clothing was not the most surprising thing.

Kairi was standing there at the door while it swung shut slowly behind her, she was motionless except for her face. Her features were contorting into a number of confused, aggravated, and pained looks that were directed at a single envelope held in her hands.

Sherlock took a moment, realizing that Kairi's demeanor had drastically changed, "What is it?" His eyes were already frantically moving over the unopened envelope.

She seemed short of breath for a moment, "Its a letter." Sherlock almost commented on the absurd obviousness of such a statement, but she continued, looking up at Sherlock with tears in her eyes, "Its from my mother."

There was a following silence that neither of them could break. Kairi was obviously heartbroken and in pain. Sherlock was merely astounded. He was surprised, which didn't happen often.

He was under the impression that Kairi's mother had been dead.

 


	7. -7-

Kairi fiddled with the neckline of her current blouse. It was pale gold, shimmery and flowy with a somewhat high neckline that did this odd little tie off to the side that seemed to flip onto her collar bone and annoy the tits out of her. She glared at it, awkwardly of course, as its almost impossible to glare at your own collar bone, and flicked it this way and that, until she decided to give up.

Her fingers went back to her slick keyboard, a pricey thing, ergonomic and possibly made of black gold for how much it cost. She had to admit that it curved perfectly to her hands. That was hard to do since her hands were generally smaller than the general population of tall, lanky, or thick boned, male computer programmers. Her fingers glided over it almost effortlessly as she picked away at her most recent project.

Since she had started working for Mycroft Holmes almost a week ago, she had been giving what she knew to be a run through. Most of her assignments were given as tests of her abilities. After a day or two of rather boring tasks she decided to hack into Mycroft's personal email account and printed out a few random emails. She put them in a folder and handed them to him on his way in one day. She had not dealt with him personally after her initial hire, but when he opened it and gazed through its contents, he had taken the time to stop and glanced back and her with a knowing smile on his face. Kairi had ever so thoughtfully blacked out just about every other word with a dark marker. She had not been given any pointless, busy work since.

She was currently working on permanently erasing rather tawdry files and emails from a prestigious member of Parliament's home computer when her phone began to buzz. She glanced at the screen and sighed heavily. Sherlock was phoning.  _Again._

She ignored the phone call, knowing he would never leave her a message, but after about 12 missed calls and numerous limited text messages from the consulting detective over the past week she was growing weary.

She hadn't talked to any of her "friends" within that time. She was hoping that they would think she was abducted. Or dead. Either one would work for her current situation.

She sighed, recalling the previous week's events.

_Kairi had slipped out of the sinful dress and plodded into one of her cozy outfits for home. Simple stretchy, fleece lined leggings, a form fitting tank top under a loose sweater, and her worn in calf skin boots. She grabbed her favorite hat and plopped it atop her head and made her way out to the patio with Appa at her heels._

_She noticed that her mail was still sitting on the table from the day before so she flipped through it to see if anything was important. Glancing outside, she watched as Sherlock lit up a cigarette, an almost giddy spark in his eyes as he exhaled. His addiction to smoking was most unhealthy._

_She chuckled to herself and glanced back at the envelopes beneath her fingertips. Mostly bills, some spam for pre-approved credit cards, and a few letters addressed to the tenant before her. The last envelope was sturdy, made from some high quality card stock, and slightly heavy in her hands. She glanced at the writing and her heart skipped ever so slightly._

_The ink was dark and rich, flowing solidly from one letter to the next. The curve to the 'K' in her name sent a spike through her heart and she took a deep breath to calm herself. Her fingers were gripping the edge of the card stock as she walked to the door to her patio. The corners creased ever so slightly and she let out a shuddering breath, frantically smoothing out the crease caused by her panic. As she glanced at the envelope once again, a single tear dropped from her eye and splashed upon the ebony ink. It smeared only slightly and she fought desperately to keep the sob in her throat._

_She had her fingers on the handle, not sure where her body was guiding her except that she knew she needed to do something, anything, besides reading the letter._

_The cold air assaulted her and she shivered audibly, staring at the letter which was ripping her apart piece by piece. Why did this letter come now, when she was so close to a semblance of normal!? She had friends, she may have found peace, but no more. The article in her hand was a powerful black hole, sucking all of her sanity away from her in an instant._

" _What is it?"_

_That velvet voice rang in her ears and she was almost able to take her eyes off of the envelope. She took a breath, feeling it halt in her chest and it pained her so. She closed her eyes tightly, trying to reassert her control over the pain that flooded through her veins. She was always so capable of it before. Why could she not do it now? Why couldn't she shut it all off?_

_When she glanced up, she was gazing into the crystal clear eyes of Sherlock Holmes, his face screwed up in curiosity. She could see his hands twitching to take it from her, "What is it?" He asked, almost seeming surprised._

_Her voice was weak, she felt like her diaphragm was spasming, failing as she took another breath, "Its a letter." She managed to squeak out. Her throat was dry and her stomach churned violently as she tried to pry the last words from her lungs, "Its from my mother."_

_There was a deafening silence between them and for a moment they stared at each other. Sherlock's eyes were open, consuming, confused as they danced between the letter in her hands and the pain on her face. He was still gripping the cigarettes, extended in his hands._

_The door to her apartment seemed to crash open with life and happiness as John and Molly returned, burdened with Kairi's purchases. In that moment Kairi sobered herself up, swallowed hard and tucked the letter into her jacket and she felt Sherlock's eyes attach themselves to the letter almost instantly. She grabbed the cigarettes from the detective and with a shaky hand lit up her first one._

_With the first inhale she was able to turn to Molly and John, both Doctors and both highly disapproving of the nasty habit of smoking, and Kairi smiled and waved._

" _What kind of letter?" Sherlock finally asked._

_Kairi looked at him, feigning her best clueless look, "I'm sorry. Its none of your business." As soon as she said it she knew she would regret it. Of course it was his business! The man practically mainlined mystery and intrigue - and if he didn't have that, it was coffee and nicotine and annoying the hell out of everyone around him._

_He seemed to smirk at her ever so slightly, "What does it say?"_

_She glared at him, "I haven't read it and I wont read it in front of you. Its personal." She growled._

_His smile only seemed to widen, "I was under the impression your mother was dead..." He began but Molly popped her head out just as Kairi was about to respond with a quivering lip that made Sherlock's smile falter._

" _Come now, hurry up on those death sticks and come inside!" She smiled, "John and I brought Thai food!"_

_Kairi beamed at Molly, any trace of her previous sadness was erased, "Absolutely. Would you bring me a cup of wine?"_

_Molly shrugged and rolled her eyes playfully, "Sure!" With that, she popped back inside._

_Kairi took another drag from her cigarette as Sherlock spoke, "You know, you cannot hide things from me. I am innately curious and brilliant."_

_Kairi felt her voice waver, "Piss on your brilliance." She threw her cigarette down to the ground and stomped on it, "Its not your concern!" She hissed at him. Sherlock was slightly shocked at her vehemence but it only made him more curious. She could see the twinkle in his eye, like an elf at Christmas. She turned sharply and walked back inside with her sweetest smile possible, John and Molly beaming at her with take out boxes lining her small coffee table._

" _All right?" John said to her, his eyebrows lifted in concern as his eyes passed between his consulting detective and the girl with empty eyes. He knew how much Sherlock could rile Kairi._

" _Perfect." Kairi lied. She shucked off her jacket and tossed it in her room, closing the door swiftly with Sherlock's eyes on her._

Kairi shook her head again and glanced at the code on her screen. She was in essence creating a virus to eat up and corrupt any files on her client's computer. In the end, he would look relatively blameless. When he got home, he would open up an email and POOF, a virus would destroy his hard drive and a flashy piece of code would ensure that certain emails would be deleted. A few random segments of personal files might get caught in the cross fire, but it was better to have that than have his indiscretions brought to light.

Her phone began to buzz again and she automatically silenced it. She only had a few more lines of code to go before she would be able to go home. If there was one thing about this job she didn't like – other than her inability to wear jeans and a pair of Converse – was the fact that she had no actual hours. Jobs were completed when they were assigned, sleepiness be damned. However, she did get paid an absurd amount of money.

An icon appeared on her screen that she had not seen before. It was a simple red 'X' over a standard pad lock. Curious as ever, she clicked on it and her computer froze.

"NO!" She shouted at the screen, gripping it for dear life. She was happy that she saved only five minutes ago, otherwise she would have lost hours of work. As she rapped the monitor with her knuckles, knowing it wouldn't do a thing, she heard footsteps approach her cubicle hastily.

A she reached down to the tower of her CPU to do a hard reset – which she detested - her wrist was grasped firmly and she gasped in shock. As she looked up, a pair of familiar, clear eyes were gazing back at her. "What are you doing!?" She screeched.

A very coy smile played upon his lips, "Run."

Without a second of hesitation, Kairi smiled at Sherlock Homes, adjusted her hand in his and began running from her cubicle amongst the clanging of an alert system piping over the speakers. As they dashed through the hallway, Kairi could feel the tension in her body, "Mycroft wont let you get away with this. You're basically kidnapping a very important member of his team!" She whispered loudly to Sherlock as they crept around a corner.

"Really? Important?" He drawled.

Kairi couldn't help but smirk, "You bet your sweet ass!"

Sherlock glanced back a bit shocked for only a moment before he lunged into the next walkway, tugging Kairi behind him. She could see the mischief in his eyes and in his smile. She could tell he enjoyed annoying his brother to no end. She was sure she'd get canned for letting Sherlock take her away from her dreary cubby, but at this moment she didn't care. The entire building was heading into lock down because of a security breach and all she could do is laugh as the mad man with a scarf tugged her along the halogen lit hallways to her freedom.

She couldn't help but smile, knowing that Mycroft couldn't actually be mad at his own brother and the best programmer in his inconspicuous little company.

When they reached Kairi's apartment, Sherlock tugged her in and slammed the door with excitement. He peeked out the peep-hole as Kairi removed her jacket and pet Appa on the head.

"So you kidnapped me from work for a smoke I'm assuming?" She smiled as she made her way to her patio with Sherlock and Appa in tow. He was silent until they were outside, Kairi bundled in her jacket and a cigarette clasped between her ruby lips.

Sherlock lit up a cigarette and glanced at her wearily, "No, not just a smoke." He admitted. "I'm here to talk about the letter."

Kairi hung her head and sighed, "Sherlock its really none of your business."

"I've read it." He stated quietly.

Kairi froze with a cigarette halfway to her lips, "I'm sorry, what?"

Sherlock remained silent as he brought a cigarette between his pale lips. He didn't look at her.

"I told you it wasn't your business." Kairi said, her voice eerily soft and emotionless. "It was mine to read." She stared at him, her eyes beginning to water and she could sense his unease. "It wasn't yours to read." She stated rather dully.

"Doesn't matter." He grumbled and glanced at her, "I wanted to."

With a shriek Kairi pitched her lit cigarette at his face and he was lucky that the filter bounced off his cheek and the lit end smouldered on his favorite coat. He had the audacity to look up at her with disdain.

"This is my favorite coa-"

"FUCK YOUR COAT!" She screamed at him with tears streaming down her cheeks. "Don't you care at all!? You're invading my privacy! You are infiltrating a piece of my history that I don't want to revisit!"

Sherlock pouted slightly, refusing to look at her, "You are mislead," He mumbled a little pathetically, "I don't care at all. I wanted to know what it said, so I read it. I told you that you couldn't keep it from me."

" _I_  haven't even read it you bastard!" She screamed at him as she pushed past him and stormed inside with Appa trailing behind her with his tail curled under and his ears folded back. Kairi stripped off her smoking jacket as unwanted tears streamed down her cheeks. She lost control again in front of that infuriating detective. She thought they had an understanding. She thought they could work together without murdering each other. She glanced at the kitchen for a second through her tears and vaguely thought about how quickly she could get to a knife.

Her eyes trailed to the table where the letter sat open on her desk and her resolve crumbled. She sat down hard in her favorite chair and disintegrated into a blubbering mess. All those years she shoved down deep, all those wonderful horrible memories clamoring at her resolve. She could barely hold on. She sobbed uncontrollably into her hands. The empty part of her was happy that she put on waterproof make up today.

She felt a furry mass lean heavily against her leg and she looked up to see Appa, ears back, eyes sad, tipping his head back to look at her longingly. She reached out and let her hand fall over his fluffy head clumsily.

She had just noticed that time had passed. The sun was lower in the sky and she felt utterly and hopelessly alone. She glanced at her dining table where the fateful letter lay and she saw Sherlock sitting there silently, staring intently at the letter.

"Why are you still here?" She managed to croak out.

Sherlock's gaze flickered to her and he looked morose, maybe even sad if Kairi believed he had a heart. "You should read it."

Kairi scoffed at him, "Why the fuck does it matter now? It wont make any more sense to me than to an absolute stranger."

Sherlock glared at her slightly, "What do you mean?"

Kairi rocked slightly, her eyes glassy, "Its why I don't give my address to family. I don't need the reminders."

"What reminders?" He lead her gently.

"The reminder that I have a family."

He looked taken back by her statement. "Why don't you want the reminder?"

She looked at him, practically hypnotized by emotion, "It hurts. I don't want to hurt anymore. I've been hurt enough."

He swallowed tightly and stood, the letter in his hand and he approached her slowly. Her eyes glazed again as she stared at nothing. He circled her chair and Appa growled viciously at him as he made his way to the love seat.

Kairi jumped into movement and hugged Appa almost viciously, burrowing her face in his fur. He happily engaged his master and relished in the contact. Sherlock was bored with this emotional display. He couldn't understand why a pet could deserve such emotion. The dog seemed to glare at him.

He sat down slowly, Kairi's face still buried in fur. He felt her piercing glance around her dog's collar and he saw her let out a long sigh. She sat up slowly, wiping at her pale face now blotchy with sadness. She sniffled a bit and adjusted her seat and invited Appa up into the chair with her. After a tangle of limbs and fur, she put her hand out to Sherlock and he handed her the letter.

She gazed at the writing on the lovely cream card stock, the same the envelope was made from. It smelled faintly of cinnamon and vanilla, the smell of home. She had to gulp back another sob as she saw the graceful, looping scrawl of her mother. Of the person who used to be her mother. She glanced up at Sherlock and he was sitting back against her love seat, eyes closed and fingers steepled over his lips.

She finally let her eyes decipher the writing and absorb the words and meaning. Like so many times she had tried before, only to be upset and empty after the garbled words flew off the page and streamed into nothing. Her mother was not her mother any more.

"Read it aloud if you could." He said quietly.

Kairi sighed.

" _There stood a crab with all eight toes_

_With knowledge vast and many woes_

_He stood above black sea so high_

_Thinking that the end is nigh_

_He pondered what he loved the most_

_Not a penny pence or mother's toast_

_But mostly that he loved to boast_

_With knowledge vast and wide._

_He knew not love or care for friends_

_And this is when the story ends_

_He dropped to make the story bend_

_To please his sea's folk eye_

_His knowledge vast, hourglass of stone_

_And nothing shall his memr'y hold_

_Except of course for all his woes_

_He sadly now must lie_

_So choose a life full of heart_

_And ne'er let red waves depart_

_Know that you cannot restart,_

_For crabs surely cannot fly."_

Kairi finished with a long shuddering breath, "See? It means  _nothing_." She sighed heavily and glanced at Sherlock who was motionless. "It's gibberish. Its always gibberish"

"Nothing is gibberish" He muttered, sounding irritable. "There's always meaning behind words."

Kairi laughed ruefully, "Not hers."

Sherlock opened his eyes, curious, "How so?"

Kairi smiled, tainted with pain, "She's got early onset Alzheimer's."

"Alzheimer's." Sherlock slapped his hands against his thighs, "Of course! I thought it was a nursery rhyme. How stupid!"

Kairi looked at him angrily, "She used to tell me nursery rhymes when I was growing up." She choked back a sob, "She used to make them up for me. I never got the normal stories like my sister did."

Sherlock seemed to brush away her idle chatter. His thoughts kept grasping at the words in the simple letter. He kept having to remind himself they were the silly ramblings of a crazy woman.

"She suffered from PTSD." Kairi muttered through tears, "Its how she met my father originally. They were in war together. You don't escape from that unscathed."

Sherlock remained silent as the words Kairi spoke melded with the words from the rhyme, attacking the symbolism, the cadence, any possible codes that were hidden.

"When -," Her voice cracked, swallowed whole by the pain in her heart, "When my father died, my mother fell apart. Her mind literally broke from the strain of dealing with the loss of her soul mate," Her voice faltered again and she swallowed hard, "We had to put her in a home. She went comatose. Stopped being able to function. She needed care and I couldn't do it."

Sherlock paused, "You have a sister."

Kairi glanced at him, not fully knowing if she had told him that fact or not, her brain was addled by sadness, "I said that. We couldn't take care of her."

Sherlock chose not to correct her.


	8. -8-

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Content warning: spiders

After crying a bit more Kairi kicked Sherlock out of her home, quite literally. She had to drag him to her door and push him out as he begged for more information about her past. He was intrigued by the girl, a tremendously vivacious American, as they almost always are, with so much depth and mystery to her and so much emptiness in her eyes – even when she was smiling. She wore some facts on her sleeve, like almost everyone does, but he didn't know about her mum. He was disappointed he had that wrong and it made him wonder what else he was missing.

Sherlock stepped out into the cold night, the demented nursery rhyme playing over in his head. Something pulled at his mind, but he couldn't quite place it. Obviously, the nursery rhyme talked about a fall of a hard shelled crustacean and at least part of that made him shiver. He didn't want to believe that Moriarty had a way to communicate beyond the grave, it was utterly impossible, especially through the scribblings of a mad woman to a woman he just met. But something niggled at him. Something made him uneasy. He wasn't one to put much stock into gut feelings, he practically detested the idea of it. His entire framework was based upon evidence based observation and deduction, and this feeling on the back of his neck and in the pit of his stomach made him uncomfortable. That was not easy to accomplish.

He made his way back to 221B, not drastically far from Kairi's flat, and the weather was decent enough by an Englishman's standards. Kairi of course would have been bundled up completely, constantly complaining about being too cold under her overnumerous layers. However, days where people were in tank tops and shorts were still too cold by the San Diegan's standards.

That was only one more thing that bothered him about her. He knew she had traveled, he knew she was proficient at many dialects, however, he couldn't quite place her footsteps on the land. He was bothered by the fact that she did not collect knick knacks and trinkets from this country and that. Any other person that had traveled around as much as she had seemed to, would keep such things around their home. They would boast of their travels proudly. Perhaps even adorn themselves in bits of the place for a while, trying to prolong their vacation-persona until reality came crashing back onto them. It was mildly shocking to realize that Kairi probably never had a vacation. Reality was far too prevalent for her to escape from it. That's probably why she never celebrated her travels.

Wherever she went, her reality, her memories, were too powerful to be overcome by incense and a little shop full of trash. Sherlock actually felt sadness twist in his chest for a moment, but it was fleeting.

He continued his brisk pace, dodging locals and tourists alike as he buzzed through the streets, his mind only on Kairi and the letter. He kept reciting the words, over and over in his mind. He kept getting flickering pieces of phrase passing before his eyes, the long graceful strokes of the ink that scrawled across the page quite deliberately. The random spots of ink along the margin most likely from an old inked pen, judging by the uneven lines that formed when pressure was applied in different strengths and the usually unpredictable propulsion of ink. Words, connections, phrases, deliberate meanings all littered within the prose of a demented woman. It was maddening.

His thoughts drifted and grasped onto the ridiculous nursery rhyme until he felt a migraine coming on. He wanted a cigarette and turned to make his way back to Kairi's when he noticed he was already on Baker Street, just a block or two from his home. He realized he had been walking quite quickly, his breathing was rapid and his heart rate was elevated and he felt slightly damp along the temples. He only just noticed this because he had stopped and the cool wind blew into his dark curls and he felt his skin prickle at the sensation.

He shook his head one last time, focusing on the street before him and practicing his deductions on the oncoming foot traffic.

The first to be evaluated was a couple coming from around the corner. Not married, but committed, which made more sense to Sherlock – how could anyone honestly devote themselves to another detestable, faulty human being for the rest of their lives? - probably for at least five to seven years judging by the way they interacted with each other. They walked almost perfectly in unison, their bodies very easily adjusting to each others minute movements, which only seemed to happen after knowing someone and being in close proximity to them for an extended period of time.

The woman was pregnant, but either did not know or had not told her partner about it, judging by the lit but seemingly unsmoked cigarette in her dominant hand. She was obviously left-handed, a teacher judging by the residue of marker on the fleshy side of her hand – probably middle school or higher since it seemed to be the consistency of dry erase marker as apposed to washable coloring ink. She was just under 30, judging by the lines around her eyes and the way she carried herself, lived in London almost all her life, as he heard her long-standing accent and noticed she was well acclimatized to the weather.

Her partner was a metal worker, his hands almost permanently stained by dark lubricant most common used in automobile shops. He was rather vain judging by the care devoted to his appearance, and he liked to gamble, most likely a thrill seeker judging by the slight twitches in his body that could occur from loss of or excess adrenaline pulsing through his system. He probably raced cars or motorcycles in his spare time to procure extra funds. He would need to stop that soon with a baby on the way, people did get so sentimental when that happened. Sherlock almost stopped walking, a sly grin spread across his lips as he watched the gentleman walk towards him. He had the slightest limp in his walk that favored his left side. His gait widened, ever so slightly on that side, his leg flaring out just so with each step, as if to relieve pressure from his groin. This sort of step was usually exaggerated after an injury to the scrotum, but his was very faint making it appear that the injury was not recent. It was most likely something that had lasted over a period of time, otherwise his walk would not be altered. It had most likely formed after a testicular torsion, one that probably happened years ago and was repaired, since it was ever so slight. This meant there was a great possibility that he was sterile. The child wasn't his.

He couldn't help but grin as he walked past them, almost immediately erasing all trace of them from his mind palace.

Mere humans. Detestable and faulty.

He continued another block or so, letting his mind wander through his mind palace to dispose of irrelevant information that was clogging up his thought process. Usually deducing someone made an impressive difference in his ability to refocus and re-tune his brilliance.

In a rather short period of time he had already arrived at his home, feeling sharper and more attune with his innate ability. He walked into the flat and climbed the stairs two at a time, as he almost always did, and opened the door with a flourish only to find that John was not home. He was probably out with Molly. Their friendship seemed to have deepened over the past few weeks, though he felt that it had not quite flourished into romance as Kairi so obviously wanted it to. However, he did feel a pang of jealousy thinking that he could not be disappointed in John's choice of company if it were Molly. She was quite brilliant and deserving of proper male attention. It suddenly occurred to him that he may even be happy for them if it did evolve into a romantic relationship since both of them were so very deserving of companionship that he obviously could not replicate.

The thought made him pause as he made his way into his bedroom. He was almost sorry he could not feel for Molly what she had felt for him. It had been years but her infatuation with him seemed to have wilted, most likely from his pointed jabs at her physique and lack of skills. He was always so incorrect about her. She was smart and beautiful and deserving of someone who could feel. He was not that person. As for John, Sherlock made it very obvious he was disapproving of the vast assembly line of females who came and went. Mostly because of Sherlock, himself. However Sherlock knew John deserved someone far better than the nameless, faceless blur of women who he had bedded. Sherlock didn't believe he could care until he met John, until he knew what a friend truly was. It mattered to Sherlock that he would be involved with someone worthy of their time. She would need to tolerate Sherlock just as much, if not more, than Watson himself did. Molly could be that person. She might be that person.

Another shake of his head got his body moving and he was in his room, removing his coat when something fell to the floor and skittered across his path. He glanced at it momentarily and kicked at it, sending it sprawling a few inches. It twitched slightly and stopped, unmoving, and folded in on itself.

Sherlock crouched, pulling out a pen light in his pocket and flashed it on the five pence sized ball in front of him. He pulled a pen out of his pocket with his other hand and started to spread the limbs of what he found to be a spider. A large black spider. As he spread the limbs, he already knew what he was seeing, a large, red hourglass shape was displayed on its abdomen. It was a Black Widow. In an instant words, thoughts, flashes, started flooding into his mind. This spider was not indigenous to Europe. Where had he come into contact with it?

And suddenly he jumped to stand at his full height and stomped on the creature on the ground in fury. He grabbed his coat, gave it a good thorough shake down and sprinted from his house, thoughts of red waves, hour glasses of stone and the sudden, infuriating realization that crabs did not have eight limbs, but rather ten.

He grabbed his phone to make a call to the only person he cared to actually trade words with: Kairi.

* * *

Kairi had kicked Sherlock out of her home and had another good cry after she hid the letter away, trying her best to pretend that it didn't exist. She would hold Appa and cry until she was dehydrated. Until she had no tears left. She would get all the emotion out now and then pretend like it never happened. She only wished that Sherlock would let it go and do the same. She had absolutely no desire to drudge up memories or speak to her mother. The last time she had tried, she was met with the painful realization that her mother did not remember her. She did not even remember having children, grandchildren, not even being married. Talking to her was too painful as her mother would become tired and frustrated with Kairi's constant emotional outbursts. She was not like her sister, she could not put on a brave face to the woman who had been so important in her life. It was like she was losing her father all over again. She lost the only people in the world that were truly and undoubtedly her best friends.

Her world was so small. She was so very alone.

This thought drudged up only the driest of sobs. She wiped at her face and unraveled from her chair, finally letting Appa go. He jumped down from her lap and stretched and yawned and made his way into her bedroom to hop on the bed, as was customary. She would not pretend to mean to sleep without him tonight. She couldn't put on that much of a brave face. Appa was all she had left and she couldn't let him go.

She made her way, sniffly and dry to her bathroom where she rinsed her face of makeup and gulped down copious amounts of water from the well of her hands. She patted everything dry and tossed the towel on the floor for her to add to her laundry list and made her way into her bedroom.

She did not bother to undress or even move the covers. Appa was on the ground, idly scratched at his neck and jingling his collar and name tag. She flopped onto the bed without ceremony, climbing gracelessly up so she was sprawled out.

Completely exhausted, she let out a huge sigh and patted the bed next to her for Appa to join. But he did not.

She patted again.

And again.

She looked up, "Appa, come on mommy needs to snu-," She stopped at the sight before her.

Appa was on the ground, almost looking like he was stretching, but she had never seen him sprawl out like that before. His upper body was twitching, as if he were trying to roll in something like dogs customarily do. His back legs were kicking out, unceremoniously, straightening and bending with great force. He finally yelped and started to shake as his head lolled to the side and dropped, unmoving. His back legs were still rigid.

"Appa?!" Kairi screeched and croaked at the same time. She scrambled off of her bed and dropped to his side. She touched him gently and his body was stiff, but he was still breathing, albeit a little raggedly. "APPA!?" She screamed, tears coming fresh and she stroked his fur and a few black objects dropped to the ground next to them. She glanced down, her hand still on Appa and she let out a shriek when she felt a stabbing, stinging pain suddenly on the back of her hand.

She pulled back, glancing at the site of the pain and she finally saw the spider perched on her hand, fangs sunk into her skin. She shrieked even louder and shook it off of her hand, grabbing her nearest boot and squashing it quickly. She glanced back at the scurrying blurs beside her that just fell from her dog and squashed them with righteous fury.

It was only then that she heard it. The tiniest of scrapings behind her. She stood slowly, Appa still motionless at her feet and she glanced at her bed.

It was moving.

Not the entire thing, but the blanket itself, resting on top of the bed was undulating so gently you would barely notice it. She hadn't noticed it when she had laid down before.

Cold, dead fear gripped her chest and she couldn't breathe as she stepped closer to her bed and took a deep, shuddering lungful of air.

She ripped back a triangle of covers and let out a scream no one could possibly replicate. Her entire mattress was crawling with what looked like thousands of black and brown bodies, legs tangling in a mess of absolute horror. She took a step back as some fell to the floor. Black, long-legged with a giant abdomens. Brown, huge gutted, with striped legs.

She let out another scream as she backed up, her ankles connecting with Appa and she tripped, falling backwards, hard on her buttocks and wrist, hearing the slightest snap. She glanced down at the dog at her feet, and a scurrying blur stopped in front of them, rolling with broken limbs.

A giant red blob on its underside.

Black and Brown Widows. Harmful, potentially deadly.

 _Appa_.

She scrambled to her knees and pulled Appa's stiff body to her, tears streaming down her face as she gripped his 90 some odd pounds to her body and stood up without struggle. Running away was another thing entirely as she felt like she could hear the spiders' tiny feet clacking against her wooden floor as she sprinted from her room kicking the door closed behind her. She ran Appa to her couch and set him down, still frozen, eyes closed and breathing labored. She let out a little whimper and a wave of nausea passed over her and her vision blurred from a dizzy spell. She stood with the aid of her love seat and turned to see a few rogue spiders crawling from under her door. She sprinted to her bathroom and grabbed the towel she had been using earlier and threw it on the ground to clog up the space between the door and the floor. She stomped on the escaping assassins with a tiny amount of glee and kicked at the towel to wedge it tightly.

She turned back, almost satisfied and feeling accomplished until she looked at Appa.

He wasn't moving and she let out another sob as she ran to his side and started furiously brushing her fingers through his fur to make sure no spiders were left. She realized that he had to have been bitten, numerous times for the venom to be acting this fast and so she pulled out her phone and called the first person on her call list.

"Why hello lovely! I haven't talked to you in a while!" The soft voice said over the phone.

"Molly, I need help!" She practically screamed.

There was no awkward silence over the phone as Molly responded, "Where are you? What's happened?!" She could hear the jingling of keys in the background and the recognizable murmur of John Watson in the slight distance.

"I'm at home. There's spiders. Thousands of them!" Kairi screeched, "Appa's been bit. He's not moving. I've been bit too." She sobbed, trying her hardest to form coherent sentences through the haze. The venom seemed to be affecting much more quickly than normal - probably because all she had been consuming as of late were coffee, cigarettes, and sadness. "I don't feel good" Kairi stated a little lamely.

"All right, get some water, wash out your bite. I'm calling an ambulance."

There was a slight beep on Kairi's end and she glanced down at the phone to see Sherlock Holmes' name pop up. She ignored it.

Molly continued, "We are coming over as quickly as we can"

Kairi let out an exasperated sob as Appa's breath seemed to hitch, "Hurry! Please!" She whined, "I need to save Appa. I cant lose him. I cant!"

"We will." Molly said a little hesitantly, "Now listen Kairi, I need you to hear me. Appa will be okay, you wont lose him, all right?" Molly waited and Kairi could only nod as she placed her hand on Appa's shallowly rising stomach. "Are the spiders isolated?" Kairi squeaked out what sounded like an affirmative response. "Okay, good, keep everything shut tight and double check yourself for more bites and spiders on your person. We will be there in minutes."

Kairi threw down her phone and ran to the kitchen and washed her hands, feeling the stinging pulsating bite on her hand seem to worsen. She grabbed her spray bottle of water, vinegar, and tee tree oil and a handful of paper towels and ran back over to Appa and started inspecting his body. She found what she thought were a few of the bites and sprayed the shit out of them and rubbed them vigorously with paper towels to try and clean through his dense fur. Her hands were shaking violently and tears continued to stream down her face.

The rattling of her front door knob startled her and she heard a few loud thuds before her door burst open, ripping through the door jamb and her now, obviously flimsy chain, and none other than Sherlock Holmes came blundering in.

He rushed to her side swiped at her head deliberately. At any other moment, Kairi would have been able to fight back, defend herself, but at this moment, she was frozen. His hand seemed to whiz by her face, catching her hair. A spider fell from her locks and Sherlock stomped on it violently. He quickly knelt next to her, his eyes frantically scanning her body, "Are you all right? Are you bitten?"

Kairi glanced up at him, her eyes a little glassy, "Appa." She said lamely.

"I don't care about the damn dog, are you all right!?" He practically shouted at her.

She pushed her hand at him, tears streaming down her face as she stared down at Appa, hiccuping sobs escaping her pale lips. Sherlock was happy to see that she did not seem to be bitten in more than one place. At least that he could see. His small side of human decency had the propriety to point out that asking her to disrobe while her dog lay dying would probably not be good.

"We need to get you down stairs." Sherlock stated, grabbing her wrist gently and pulling her. She let out a shriek as a searing pain shot up her arm.

Kairi pulled her hand away from him and scooted closer to Appa, "No." She stated firmly, but with a tiny voice, "I'm not leaving him. I can't lose him."

Sherlock rolled his eyes in an audible manner, "Damn that dog! Come with me!" He yelled at her.

Kairi took this moment to leap up and take a swing at him with her good hand. Luckily, she swayed from her nausea and dizziness and Sherlock was able to dodge the attack, grabbing her left wrist, and pulling her close to him. He was about to swoop her up into his arms when she pushed against him.

"I'M NOT LEAVING HIM!" Kairi screamed at him and tore her wrist from his grasp, only to collapse next her to slowly fading dog and begin crying.

"Damn it all!"Sherlock growled and nudged Kairi out of the way. He pulled Appa from the love seat and up into his arms, cradling him like the hundred pound babe he was. "Hurry!" He growled at Kairi who looked up at him with adoration in her eyes. His heart seemed to skip a beat. "We need to get out of here and get down to the paramedics." He stated and Kairi stood slowly, a little weakly. Sherlock turned sharply, bowing only slightly under the dog's massive weight. Kairi followed him slowly, swaying slightly as she used the furniture for guidance out of her home and soon the walls of the hallway they were passing through.

Sherlock went to the far corner of her hall where the stairs were and glanced back at Kairi, seeming to wilt before him from exhaustion and the effects of the venom. "Are you all right to go down stairs?" She nodded weakly, gulping at her dry throat and he continued through the door and started trotting down the steps with Kairi at his heels, not wanting to let too much space get between her and her dog. He was irritated at this, furious that Kairi would put the safety of a beast before her own needs. But he trudged along anyway until they were in the lobby of her apartment building and making their way outside.

Sherlock dropped to his knees and laid Appa on the cold cement, Appa's stomach barely moving with each breath as his body shook in spasmodic rhythms. It was not long now. He watched as Kairi seemed to collapse next to him, on her hands and knees, tears visibly falling onto the fur of her beloved friend.

"Please Appa. Don't do this!" She sobbed. As she knelt there, crying over her dying best friend, an ambulance and a few police cars screeched to a stop in front of her building.

Paramedics rushed to her and tried to pull her away from her dog, but she ripped herself from their grasps, "I'm not leaving him! I need to get him to the emergency vet!" She yelled and tried her damnedest to put her arms under Appa's body and lift him, but she was too weak.

She was always just too fucking weak to do a god damned thing.

This brought on another gush of tears.

A second later, as Sherlock watched Kairi fight against the paramedics, a familiar shape knelt next to her and put her hands on Kairi's shaking grip on Appa.

"Kairi, its Molly." Molly smiled sweetly, glancing to Sherlock for a moment. Sherlock nodded to her and glanced at John who was standing, concern written in his features. "I've brought a good friend here, Doctor Smith, he's a veterinarian." Kairi looked up at Molly, her eyes wild with hope as she glanced at the tall, thin man with sticky-uppy hair. "He's going to take care of Appa, right here. He's got the anti-venom and some antihistamines to counteract spread of the venom." Kairi nodded slowly as Molly grasped her wrists gently, "Come with me to the ambulance, Dr. Smith will take care of Appa, but he needs room to work, all right? Appa will be ok."

Kairi glanced again at Dr. Smith, Molly, Appa, and Sherlock as she nodded slowly.

"I'm so sorry." Dr. Smith said with sad eyes, "I will do everything I can to make sure he will be all right. I promise in a day or two he will be right as rain." He finished with a sweet smile.

Kairi nodded as he knelt down next to her. She stood slowly, Molly moved to grasp her arm, but Sherlock was already there, supporting her as the paramedics followed her to the back of the truck. He helped her stand comfortably as the paramedics inspected her for more spider bites. Granted, it was very rare for a human to die of a single bite from a Black Widow, but it  _was_  possible and they were being thorough, which Sherlock supposed he was grateful for. They found a few more bites on her lower back and legs and began to clean them, dress them, and administer the proper amount of anti-venom. They also noticed her wrist seemed to be badly damaged. There was no telling if it was absolutely broken without an x-ray, but they splinted it either way to stabilize it. Kairi couldn't feel anything anyway.

Kairi stared at Dr. Smith who was working on Appa. She watched as his hands moved in a flurry of motions, doing the same thing the paramedics were doing to her. She sighed raggedly as he stood and made his way over to her a few minutes later.

Sherlock realized that Kairi stared at Dr. Smith as if he were the only thing in existence at this moment. Nothing else mattered, not even her own safety.

The Doctor smiled lightly as he walked up to Kairi, Molly, John, and Sherlock. Everyone was standing except for Kairi who was sitting on the edge of the ambulance tailgate, wrapped in a blanket but still shivering.

"Kairi, is it?" Dr. Smith smiled at her, "I want you to know I've done everything I possibly can to save Appa. He seems to be responding to treatment well, but I would really prefer if he lodged with me at my practice for a few days until I know he's better. What I administered tends to work swimmingly with dogs that have multiple bites, so I want you to know that I expect a full recovery." He smiled wide and Kairi let out a happy sob. She jumped from her seat and wrapped her arms around the veterinarian, who slowly returned the favor.

"Thank you!" She sobbed into him. He patted her back gently.

"Don't worry, I will take good care of him until he is ready to come home to you." He pulled back slowly and smiled. He walked back over to the ball of fur that looked like it was breathing almost normally and Kairi let out a gut wrenching set of sobs that even shook Sherlock to his core.

Home.

She could not, would not, go back into that place. She looked up at Molly who was smiling with tears in her eyes and nodding happily. John smiled tightly at her, as if he were trying to refrain from showing his full emotion. She turned to find Sherlock but he was not next to her. He was a ways away, his low voice traveling the distance so that Kairi could hear. He was talking with Lestrade and a man in a grey jumpsuit she had never seen before.

"All of those damned creatures need to be destroyed." Sherlock said with a deathly tone in his voice.

The man in the grey jumpsuit piped up, "You don't have to tell me, mate. Those kinds of spiders aren't normally in our area and they could dangerously affect our ecosystem."

"I don't care how they affect anything. Make sure that place is completely clean." Sherlock growled at him and then turned to Lestrade, the man in grey wide-eyed at the wrath in his voice. "This was more than obviously an attack on Kairi."

Kairi scowled at that. Of course it was an attack. Its not possible to NOT notice a thousand spiders living in your bed and procreating. She shook her head slowly. The bed would have to be burned. All of it. Everything. Burned to nothing more than ashes and then burned again.

Sherlock continued, "I don't know why or how just yet, but her mother has something to do with this."

Kairi's scowl deepened at that.

"Kairi had just received a letter from her. Slight clues were evident but I missed them until it was too late and she almost lost the one damned thing she cares about in this world." He spat.

That's it, Kairi was going to punch him again. He needed to stop insulting her dog.

Sherlock finished, pointing a finger at Lestrade, "You need to find out who did this."

Lestrade seemed to exhale heavily, as if he were holding his breath, "We will Sherlock. We wi-,"

Sherlock interrupted, lowering his voice to a menacing level, "Find out who did this or I will. You know how much I detest court rooms and lawyers Lestrade, I can guarantee he wont see a litigation."

With that, he stormed off from Lestrade and was making his way back to the ambulance. Kairi didn't have the energy to pretend she wasn't eavesdropping so she just stared at him, curious and confused. He was brooding as he approached the group and stood in front of her, glaring at nothing, his eyes frantically playing over some imaginary scene in his mind. His eyes closed momentarily, his lips moving in soundless words as he played something in his mind over and over again.

He only stopped when he felt a cold hand rest on his. He looked down and the pale fingers gripping his hand gently and followed it up the blanket clad arm to the soft features of the woman before him. It was Kairi's hand.

She swallowed hard, looking at Sherlock like she had looked at Dr. Smith, like he was the only person in the world she could see. "Thank you." She almost whispered, her voice hoarse from so much crying and screaming. "You carried him when I couldn't." She stated simply and grasped his hand tighter. "You saved him for me." She yanked him towards her and stood quickly, throwing the blanket from her shoulders at the same time, and wrapping her tiny arms around him and holding him tight against her body in a powerful hug. She was only in a tank top and some simple lounge pants and he knew that she should be freezing, but the shaking in her body was still from fright and despair. His face rested in the crook of her neck and he took in a deep inhale, a waft of lavender and vanilla and cigarettes filling his nose. His mind palace forged a room simply for that scent, committed to memory. As he wrapped his arms around her now tiny frame he could feel how cold her skin was against his and it seemed to burn him. She pulled back slowly and kissed him soundly on the cheek, sending a raging spike through his blood stream and up into his head making his mind foggy for only a second. "Thank you." She smiled so genuinely that he couldn't reply with his own. Instead, he cleared his throat, stood up tall and shirked off his coat, slowly wrapping it around her shoulders. She smiled at him again, this one more timid, the thanks obvious in her eyes. He nodded to her as she slipped her hands into the long sleeves and pulled it snug around her. In a moment, color seemed to return to her face.

Lestrade approached a few minutes later, notebook in hand and he smiled at Kairi, "I hear your dog will be set?"

Kairi nodded tiredly and smiled, "Yes. Thank you."

Lestrade let a small, wry smile play on his lips, "Don't thank me, thank Doctor Doolittle over here." He gestured to Sherlock and everyone seemed to snicker. He grimaced at Lestrade, taking offense to the unknown reference. Kairi simply nodded and smiled at Sherlock shyly.

"Now I need to get your statement, but I figure tonight has been rough enough. Do you have a place to stay?" Lestrade muttered, stuffing his notebook in his pocket, "You need a glass of wine and a good night of sleep. They'll be treating your flat for a few days, so it wont be safe to go in for some time. We've got to treat your clothes too, so you may need to borrow something."

Molly opened her mouth to offer Kairi a place to stay and some clothes to borrow, though they would not likely be sharing pants or bras anytime soon. "Oh, you-,"

"She'll stay with us." Sherlock interjected. Everyone froze, even Kairi and John, and stared at him, shocked. Sherlock fidgeted slightly, uncomfortable for some reason under their gaze, "Until this investigation is solved, it will be safer if she stays with us. She can have my room. I don't sleep while I'm on a case anyway."

Kairi looked up at Sherlock, absolutely in shock, "I couldn't -,"

"Nonsense." John said quickly before Sherlock could respond. "It will be best until we can figure out why and how this happened." Kairi opened her mouth to refuse but John pointed a finger and frowned, "Doctor's orders."

She couldn't help but smile. "Of course. Thank you."

"Oh, what about clothes?" Molly mentioned, "I have some pyjams in the car if you'd like."

Kairi smiled again, "Thanks Molly that'd be great until I can replace some of my wardrobe."

"Good." Lestrade said, patting his sides gently as if to check to make sure everything was still on his person, "I'll swing my Baker Street tomorrow or the next to get your statement. I think you should take it easy, maybe lie low for a few days."

Kairi nodded to Lestrade, "I will, thank you."

"Right then," Lestrade smiled, nodding to John and grinning knowingly at Sherlock, "You two take care of her and stay out of trouble." With a nod from John and a scathing look from Sherlock, Lestrade turned to leave.

"Right." John stated, "Well, lets get you some pyjams and get you situated at Baker Street."

Kairi nodded and went to stand, she faltered slightly and felt the reassuring strength of a hand on her elbow. She glanced at the long, graceful fingers and looked up to realize they belonged to Sherlock Holmes. She smiled at him and stood strong on her two feet and nodded to him when she felt stable.

"I'll cab you all home." Molly smiled, jingling her keys in her hand. They made their way to Molly's small car and Kairi denied the offer of the front seat, leaving John to ride up front and her and Sherlock in the small back seat. John helped her in and got her comfortable and Sherlock climbed in after her, sitting behind Molly's side so he would have more leg room.

As Molly started the car and began to drive, Sherlock and Kairi were jostled in the backseat. Kairi looked exhausted, worn, and still so very scared. She glanced at Sherlock and caught him looking at her with a blank but roving stare. She smiled nervously and a blush rose on her cheeks. That was a good sign she was no longer in shock.

Sherlock watched as she situated herself in the seat of the car, slouching down just a bit so her head could lean back on the headrest. The tiny clunker Molly drove seemed to be needing shocks very badly as they were jostled closer together this time, Kairi's head landing on his shoulder.

"God, even I'm too small for this car Molly, how do you do it?" Kairi joked and everyone was happy to see the slight glimmer of light in her eyes.

"I rarely drive it. It belonged to my father, he gave it to me so I could use it, but I don't always need to." Molly glanced back in the mirror and met Kairi's eyes, "Try to rest, I actually need to follow the speed limit home this time." She chuckled.

Kairi smiled, her head still close to Sherlock's shoulder. She glanced up at him tentatively as he gazed down at her, nervous from the contact. "Do you mind?" She nodded at his shoulder, silently asking if she could lay her head there.

Sherlock gave an audible response but no one could really tell if it was affirmative or negative. Kairi smiled anyway, too tired to honestly care, and rested her head on his shoulder and almost instantly fell asleep.

In the front seat, John flashed a look to Molly, waggling his eyebrows and turning his mouth down in an impressed expression. Molly tried not to giggle and focused on the road.

The ever watchful Sherlock did not notice their exchange because he was looking down at the girl sleeping on his arm. Her eyes were closed and her breathing was deep and long, already fast asleep. Her very light eyelashes rested gently on the tops of her cheeks and her lips were set in a slight pout as sleep consumed her.

Kairi fell asleep thinking that she may not be so alone after all.

Sherlock let the tiniest smile creep onto his lips as he looked away from the sleeping girl and stared out the window. A frown replaced the smile, his thoughts now brooding. He needed to find out who had done this. He needed to understand why, for whatever reason, people who became important to him always seemed to come under fire.


	9. -9-

Kairi sat motionless in 221B, her legs folded up and a blanket wrapped around her like a child afraid of the dark. The leathery chair seemed to fold in around her, which was comforting in a way.

She couldn't help but wonder why? Why did her life turn out the way it did? Why she lost everything she loved? Well, almost. Appa would be okay. She exhaled and checked her phone. It was an odd hour to phone her sister, to see if she was all right, to check to see if her home was infested with spiders, see if her children were attacked in the night. She prayed that they were safe. For the first time in a long while she prayed so very hard that this, whatever it was, had not touched her sister and her family.

John watched from the kitchen as Kairi sat, petrified, wrapped in a comfy blanket from Ms. Hudson, wearing an odd pair of Molly's pajamas. She looked like the side of a condemned building, stripped, mismatched, discolored and so very weather worn. Tear marks, like rain drops, had eroded the sides of her face and her breathing was shallow, minimal, as if she'd fill up her lungs and they would burst from the stress. She hadn't touched her tea, but it sat cradled in one hand, the other gripping the crocheted blanket around her shoulders while he and Molly sat in the kitchen.

Sherlock had left them to help with the investigation a few hours ago. Kairi had showered, for what seemed like hours and Molly had been the one to retrieve her. She had heard Kairi crying and went in to find her shivering against the piping hot water as it beat down on her, tears mixing in with the spray. Molly had called John in to help get Kairi out of the claw foot tub. He had noticed she wasn't very heavy as he lifted her towel clad body out of the porcelain bin, feeling more like a soaked to the bone and abused kitten than a fully grown woman. Molly had shooed him out after he had gotten her to Sherlock's empty room and Molly had helped her dry off and dress.

Then Kairi had gone to the chair and sat in it, snuggled up and turned off completely. She seemed to break down again, the slim moment of bravado in the car crumpled away and the weakness bloomed.

"I'll stay tonight." Molly muttered to John across the kitchen table, the chemistry set haphazardly scooted to the side. "It might be good for her to have someone close by that she trusts." Molly looked up and saw John's look of confusion, "Not that she doesn't trust you or Sherlock, but she doesn't know you as well." She began to speak quickly, as Molly tended to do when she got nervous, "I mean, she trusts you, but its hard to comfort a woman you hardly know. Not that you don't know how to comfort a woman, I'd assume you'd be very good at it with all of the ladies I've seen you with-" Molly looked up at John, a look of amused shock on his face and a look of horrified embarrassment on hers, "Shit, I'm not saying you're a tart or anything, I've just noticed you've had a lot of women."

John half chuckled, half scoffed.

Molly's eyes just about popped from her skull, "Damn it all. You know what I mean!"

John only smiled and let out a small chuckle.

"Oh, shut up." She scowled at him momentarily, but couldn't help but smile as she sipped her tea.

John cleared his throat, his voice caught in it momentarily as his eyes flickered to Kairi. Her eyes seemed a little less glassy and were fixed on her tea with a frown. "I was only wondering on the sleeping arrangements." He muttered, glancing back to Molly. Both of them blushed. "You can sleep in my bed."

Molly's eyes went wide again, "Erm-,"

"I meant that you can sleep in my room. I can take the couch." He muttered, shakily.

Molly blushed and tried to hide her smile, "Of course. Thank you."

"Welcome." John spat quickly and cleared his throat again.

"But I hate tea."

Molly and John looked over at Kairi, back to the land of the living, staring at them with an indignant look on her face, "I'm sorry, I just don't like tea."

Molly and John chuckled at that, "Right, off to bed then?" Molly smiled.

Kairi shook her head, "I want to wait for Sherlock."

John frowned at that, "Kairi he is known to be out all night and you need some rest, this ordeal with the spiders..."

Kairi swallowed hard, "Its not just the spiders." She muttered, "I've been avoiding you all for a reason and I should come clean about it."

"Avoiding?" Molly said, sounding the tiniest bit hurt, "I just thought the new job was keeping you."

Kairi hung her head and reached over to place the tea down on the table nearby, "I'm sorry. I just..." She paused and seemed to gulp back the shakiness in her voice, "I don't tend to share much about my past. What I told you the first night in that pub, Molly, is more than I've said to anyone on the subject in years." She sighed and looked at Molly and John who were sitting quietly, patiently. They were so much easier to talk to than Sherlock, they knew how to give someone time to speak. Time to think. "My family was happy for a very long time, my parents were closer to me than anyone else in my life, even my sister and the paltry amount of people I called friends. When I lost my father to war it tore me apart, but it was worse on my mother. She had a psychological meltdown. Her brain just couldn't handle the stress of losing my father." She sighed heavily and continued without interruption, a new feeling after conversing so often with Sherlock, "My sister and I were grown, out of the house, and starting our own lives. It was time for my mother and father to focus on themselves again. Before he died, he was planning on retiring. He had paid his dues and he loved his country, but he loved us even more. He wanted to step back from the action, he wanted out. He wanted a normal life. But he died. We didn't get an explanation, we didn't even get a body to bury. We got a flag in a case and a tiny plaque." Kairi spat it bitterly and John could practically feel the tremor in her voice resonate in his chest.

He remembered the war well. He lived it constantly in his mind. The action, the fighting, had given him purpose, meaning. He had a reason to live. He had no one else in his life, deceased parents, estranged sister, he had not wanted to leave the war when there was much more he could do. It had been ripped from him, his life, his purpose, just as Kairi's life had been ripped from her. He had found meaning with Sherlock, a purpose, his soul. The fight was back in him, but Kairi, she had been empty for so long. She had been lost, just like him.

She was still lost.

"My mother had early onset Alzheimer's. She's lost all memory of us, of our family, of my father. My sister and I thought it best to put her in a home - the Government was kind enough to foot the bill for that expense, to sweep another broken family under the rug. She's still alive, in a home. My sister visits often, she calls herself a volunteer. I haven't been back since my mother asked me to leave. After she told me she didn't want to see me anymore." Kairi scoffed and let out a laugh, "She said I cried too much. She said," Kairi let out a sob, "She said she didn't want to be around someone so sad." Kairi began to chuckle woefully, "I fucking hate crying."

Molly stood up abruptly and ran over to Kairi and hugged her tightly, "I'm so sorry." Kairi seemed to wilt slightly at that, "You have my sympathy, not my pity." Molly pulled back and held tightly to Kairi's shoulders, looking into her eyes, "You are not to be pitied. Don't let anyone treat you as such. But you have my sympathy, my compassion. You are hurt, not damaged. You've created a life, this life, and whether you like it or not, you have friends now, a family." Kairi glanced up at Molly who was smiling. She glanced to John who was standing at the table and he nodded ever so slightly.

Kairi let out a sigh and wiped away her tears. "My mother sent me a letter. I don't know why or how since I haven't given out my address."

"Though its not impossible for her to have gotten it." Sherlock said from the doorway, whipping the heads of John, Molly, and Kairi in his direction. "You said you have a sister, who has a life, children, I assume. You would not be heartless enough to ignore birthdays, holidays. You've sent them gifts. They would have had a return address."

Kairi frowned watching as he removed his coat, "P.O. box. I always keep one where I'm staying. Still get random mail in the box, though, most of it is not for me. Except occasional bills and the letter."

"Yes, well, someone had to have given her the address. Its easy to steal information now a days, you should know that." Sherlock muttered, walking into the kitchen, and tossing his coat to Kairi, Molly stood to get out of the way. Kairi caught it before it hit her in the face and she almost grimaced at him until she noticed him glance at her for a moment, his eyes flickered up and down, and he was off in the kitchen fiddling with his things. Molly scowled at him, John rolled his eyes.

"A bit not good." John muttered hopelessly.

"Its fine." Sherlock said without a glance back. John looked to Kairi who had stood next to Molly, dropping the blanket on the arm chair and slipping her arms into his coat and getting comfortable. The sopping wet kitten curled up on the chair in its favorite comfort blanket, its breath almost humming into a pur. She looked almost pleased.

"So someone had my address. It was available for my bills obviously." Kairi muttered. Sherlock returned to the front room, a small glass of whiskey in his hands as he walked to Kairi and stood in front of her.

"Yes but getting that type of information would leave a trail. Its not likely someone who is trying to find you would do so. Especially in taking so much effort to get the letter sent. Breaking in to leave spiders to try and scare you." Sherlock muttered, handing her the glass of whiskey and staring at her expectantly.

Kairi took a sip from the glass and stared up at him, "What? You always sit in my favorite chair. Take the bench." She muttered and glanced at the seat across from her. Sherlock stood frozen for a moment, then acquiesced, sitting down hard on the chair and glaring at Kairi. "The question is who would do that? I'm not important."

"Well you have started for Mycroft. He seems to have his tentacles in lots of places." John added.

"No." Sherlock scoffed and looked at John with a hint of disdain, "Mycroft would not put Kairi on a case that would make her high profile." He glanced back at Kairi who was staring at her whiskey, "Not yet anyways. He doesn't trust you enough for the real work behind his organization." Sherlock muttered, sitting up with elbows on knees, fingers steepled beneath his nose.

"You know if you keep sitting like that you'll get a permanent imprint on your lip... Its already quite pronounced." Kairi chuckled and sipped her whiskey, feeling the familiar burn roll down her throat and through her veins. Her body started to warm. "I needed this." She tipped her glass to Sherlock.

"I assumed as much." Sherlock muttered distastefully and Kairi smiled behind the lip of her glass. "So who would want to scare you Kairi? Why are you so important?" He stared at her, his cleaving eyes boring into her.

"Scare her? She could have been killed!" Molly sputtered angrily.

Sherlock's lip twitched with amusement and he glanced at Molly, "No, not killed. If someone wanted her dead, she would be. Someone was making a statement." Sherlock looked back to Kairi who was now gripping her glass, "What do you have that's so important?"

Kairi exhaled deeply, "Damn if I know Sherlock." She looked at him, squarely, her eyes bright and aware, but exhausted. "I'm not important. I've never been important. I'm the oldest, dysfunctional, socially retarded child of two Marines. They weren't remotely high ranked enough to deserve such attention and I haven't achieved enough either. I may be smart but I've never actually applied myself other than fucking around with people who needed to be taught lessons. Mostly small time stuff, Westboro Baptist Church, maybe a few celebrities who have done hateful things. I've done nothing notable, I've done nothing of importance, I've worked menial jobs, skipped here to there. Made no impressions, never made any traceable waves. I am nothing. I'm no one."

Molly seemed to sniffle, "That's simply not true."

Kairi looked at her, seeing the honest tears in Molly's eyes, "Molly I wasn't trying to gain sympathy-,"

"You never do! That's not the point. You're my friend. You're important to me!" She insisted.

Kairi was taken aback by Molly's honesty, "Molly, I-,"

Sherlock exhaled audibly, "So you have made an impression, but perhaps not recently. Who in your past would hold a grudge?"

Kairi tore her glance away from Molly, a tear sliding down her cheek, "Sherlock I can't-"

"THINK!" He shouted at her.

Kairi visibly flinched at the words, closing her eyes for a second and opening them with a steely resolve, "No, I shan't." She spat at him. She stood up abruptly, "I'm going outside for a cigarette." She slide her hands into her coat pockets only to remember it wasn't her coat, but she found her lighter and case in there anyway. Sherlock must have gone back for them. She glanced at him as he was standing, "No." She said with finality and he frowned at her, "No, I want to go alone. I'm tired and I don't want to talk anymore. Not about my past," She looked at Sherlock, "Not even the present." She glanced at Molly and John, "I would very much like to kill some brain cells, hopefully the ones for memory, and destroy my lungs a bit, in peace." Sherlock took a step anyways as she gripped her glass of whiskey, "Please Sherlock." She put a hand to his chest, her fingertips brushing the open expanse of skin left exposed by his unbuttoned shirt, "I need some space. I need to not think." She turned and walked out of the apartment leaving a pouting Sherlock and a concerned Molly and John behind.

She sipped her whiskey on the front steps of 221 Baker Street, her other fingers clasped around the cigarette. This truly was a day of chain smoking. Maybe she'd never stop. She'd just keep smoking until she died, until there was so much tar and crap in her lungs and bloodstream that she'd pass out and wither away. She hadn't had real suicidal thoughts in quite some time. She had a therapist when she was younger, who had helped her to stop biting people who would disagree with her or call her names. She grew out of that eventually. Then she saw another one after her parents. Her doctor had helped her cope, even if it were marginally, it still seemed to bring her back from the ledge. She wasn't sure why. She didn't have anything to live for.

Oh Molly would be furious with her for that. She couldn't let that slip, the fiery redhead might clip her. She'd have to stop thinking that way. She did have people who cared, more so now than since her parents were around. She somehow found the strength to get past that alone, so she could definitely get over a cuckoo letter from her mother and a few thousand measly spiders.

Thinking about spiders made her want to drink more, but she just lit up another cigarette and took a moment to calm down. She had to force herself to be positive, but she was tired. She was tired of hurting, of crying, of traveling, of working meaningless jobs, of meeting meaningless people. The last few years of her life had been spent living like a ghost, barely existing in this plane and desperately reaching for a connection to a previous life. She stared at her cigarette and exhaled. Perhaps it was time to really let go of her past, of whatever was haunting her. Maybe it was time to form real relationships, meet decent people. Maybe she'd ask John or Lestrade to fix her up with someone. Maybe her and Molly could go on a holiday together and do irresponsible things. She still had a life ahead of her. Her father would have kicked her in the ass if he were still alive.

She chuckled at the thought. He really would be so disappointed that she'd let herself become so worthless in all this time. He had always warned her about letting herself become accustomed to laziness. He would not stand for it.

Perhaps it was time that she should not either.

She stood slowly and downed the rest of her drink, though not much of it was left, she felt the slight swim in her head from dehydration, exhaustion, and alcohol mixing into a dangerous cocktail. She wrapped the coat around her a little more tightly and went back into Baker Street, the thrumming of constant life inside now slightly duller. She walked past Ms. Hudson's room, hearing the faint murmur of crap telly through her door and up the stairs into 221B.

The front room was empty and she removed Sherlock's coat and went to lay it on his chair.

"You seem better." He muttered from behind. Kairi turned and saw him in the kitchen, reassembling his chemistry set. His face had a stern look to it and she assumed it was because his experiments had been disturbed.

She couldn't help but smile at this strange man. He was so full of brilliance, so full of disdain. He was a man who would sooner spit on you than acknowledge you had bested him. However that wasn't likely to happen since barely anyone could keep up with him. She knew what it felt like to be singled out and to be odd. She was never overly brilliant, maybe slightly above average, nothing even close to Sherlock, but she was different. She felt different from everyone, but maybe not so much from him, or from John, or Molly even Lestrade. All of them had been alone at one point or another and they all came together and formed whatever fucked up kind of family they had. She wouldn't begrudge them that. Everyone deserved to find a place they fit in, maybe it was Kairi's chance to find hers.

"Yes, thank you." She smiled and walked over to where Sherlock was arranging his equipment. "Thanks for a lot actually."

"Its no matter." Sherlock muttered, looking into his microscope and adjusting the settings.

Kairi chuckled and placed a hand on his shoulder, "Stop that."

Sherlock glared at her momentarily, she was clad in Molly's clothes, pants too tight around her hips, tank top too snug around the bust, but it was no surprise since they were almost identical in height but their shapes varied widely. Sherlock tried to focus on the diagnostic he was running on his centrifuge. He really needed a case. "Stop what?"

"Its no matter," She mimicked him almost perfectly, but her voice couldn't go that low, "It  _does_  matter or else I wouldn't thank you, you dolt."

He cracked a slight grin, standing to his full height, "Dolt?"

Kairi smiled, "Yes, dolt. You're absolutely impossible aren't you?"

He looked at her again, her eyes seemed brighter though her shoulders seemed to sag beneath the weight of her day, "Most people seem to think so."

"Well either way," She gripped his shoulder tightly as he went stiff and she pulled him closer and hugged him tightly, his arms pinned to his sides and her head against his chest, holding him close like a child would. "Thank you, you infuriating man."

He gulped down his discomfort at this display of emotion. He could insult and reprimand the woman all he wanted but she would not shut down or retract like most people. She would show her pain and she would stand up to him, like John would. Unlike John who would try to come at Sherlock with an angle he understood, she would actually get more emotional and rile a response out of him. If anyone was infuriating, it was her, and he loathed that fact about her. That she could make him feel.

"For what?" Sherlock almost whispered.

Kairi let go of him but held his arms gently. She almost looked like she pitied him for asking the question, "For helping me. For saving Appa." She smiled at him, "For caring." He screwed up his face in distaste at that and opened his mouth to respond scathingly, but she only laughed and interrupted him, "Don't pretend you robot, its obvious you do care, about some things. I'm not saying you care about me, but you must care enough about Molly or John to bother at all. I mean something to them." He became silent at this, "And they mean something to me." She took this moment to look around, "Where did they go? I hope I didn't scare them away."

Sherlock's look of distaste returned as Kairi's hands dropped from his arms, he was adamant that it was because of what he was about to say than the absence of her touch, "They went to bed." She looked up at him then, absolutely beaming the brightest smile he had ever seen on anyone in his presence.

"Did they now?" She giggled, "Together?"

Sherlock rolled his eyes at her, "I wasn't paying attention."

She outright laughed at him, "Bullshit, you always pay attention!" She swatted at his arm playfully, "I bet you're jealous!"

He looked disgusted and rightfully so. "I have no interest in Molly...or John, for that matter. All of humanity could waste away shagging themselves into comas and I couldn't care less."

She clicked her tongue at him and he glared at her, "Touchy." She smiled, before he could reply venomously she put up a hand, "I'll be going to bed Sherlock. Its not an invitation, since you're obviously asexual and probably sleep in a coffin or something, but if you do want to sleep, you're welcome to share the bed with me, in a platonic way." She added when he stared at her as if she had sprouted a second head, "Appa probably outweighs you and I've shared a bed with him before so I don't mind and I keep to myself while sleeping," she chuckled, "Especially after the few days I've had."

He was utterly shocked, "I don't require sleep while on a case." He muttered monotonously.

Kairi smiled and placed a hand on his elbow again, "Well don't say I never offered." She smiled and moved closer, making a move to hug him again and Sherlock tried to relax and he closed his eyes just for a moment, until it was over. Instead he felt her hand on his chest, gripping his shirt gently and pulling him down as he heard the floorboards squeak beneath her feet as she raised to her toes to place a very gentle kiss on his immovable lips. She pulled her lips away and released him almost instantly, but they stayed rather close, Sherlock bent over awkwardly as she sunk back down to her heels, "Thank you for the bed and for the safety." He stared at her as she placed a gentle hand on his cheek and patted it sharply. "Goodnight Sherlock Holmes."

She began walking away and Sherlock straightened, not sure what to do with his body at the moment, "Good night Ms. Aria." Was what he managed to get out before she turned the corner, glancing back at him with a gentle smile on her lips, nothing playful or deceiving, just pure. It almost took his breath away.

When she was gone he exhaled a breath that he was holding and touched a few fingers to his utterly confused lips. No one kissed him. No one had the audacity to do so except for Irene Adler and even that gentle touch of her lips to his cheek was laced with layers of subterfuge. That interaction, with her deception and seemingly endless attempts of misdirection, was easier to see through than this one simple action by a girl. This girl.

He dropped his hands from his lip and turned back to his experiments, resolving to put his mind towards something he did understand and knew how to manipulate. This whole field of interpersonal relationships and compassion was still new to him. He would need to discuss this with someone who had more experience. He couldn't go to Mycroft without getting laughed at and belittled, so it must be John. John knew how to function around people and would frequently school Sherlock in at least pretending to understand the inner workings of social interaction. Perhaps John would understand why Kairi would kiss him. He knew she held affection for John and Molly, but she and Sherlock were at best, amicable. Which was probably more than he could say for anyone other than the four he risked his life for. They mattered. They were important. He knew them, if not for years, then somehow, like John through a mutual understanding of a desperate need for purpose. So why, did this woman, so alarmingly plain and normal, suddenly seem to matter?

He shook his head and sat down hard on his stool in the kitchen, busying his hands by arranging samples and dating results that would otherwise be lost by Molly and John's hasty rearranging. He fidgeted as much as possible, putting everything back the way he wanted, the way he needed it to be for him to function. At this thought he glanced toward where his room was, with the enigma now sleeping in his bed. Something tugged at his mind and he knew he would need to see the letter once again before he let Lestrade question her. Standing, he grabbed his coat and put it on, popping the collar so that it brushed against his jawline and a scent, her scent, wafted into his nostrils.

He folded down the collar and made his way out of Baker Street to regain his focus.

* * *

Kairi shut the door softly behind her and leaned her full weight against it, exhaling a breath that she had been holding since she pressed her lips against Sherlock Holmes'.

_I kissed Sherlock Holmes._

_Why did I do that?_

She let out a frantic giggle and covered her mouth sharply. She shook her head and made her way to his bed and moved the covers, she pretended it was so that she could lay down and snuggle up in his sheets, but in that dark part of her mind she liked to pretend wasn't there, she knew she was really checking for spiders.

She shook slightly and decided to lay down in the arachnid free bed, pulling the covers up to her chin and letting out a woeful moan when his scent entered her nostrils. She tried to pretend she didn't like the slightly chemical smell, like burnt gun powder mixed with something musty and comforting, like an old book, but as she hunkered down and closed her eyes to get more sleep she couldn't help but feel absolutely stunning in his wonderfully comfortable bed.

For someone who didn't sleep Sherlock sure spent a lot of money on such nice bed clothes, despite them being very plain looking. She realized they were probably bought by Ms. Hudson and that made it a little less intimate to know that the man she had just kissed had rarely slept here before.

The man she had just kissed.

_I kissed Sherlock Holmes._

**Calm down, you're obviously light headed and stupid because of the shock and alcohol and lack of sleep.**

_Yes, but you kissed him and you_ liked  _it._

**Oh, bullshit, it was a chaste, closed mouth kiss. A thank you kiss... Really it was barely a kiss, it was more of a peck. A thank you peck.**

_Peck is just a few letters from something else entirely._

She scowled at her inner monologue. She could be such a bitch.

**It was a PECK. I would have kissed John just the same if he was there.**

_Of course you'd kiss John you little slut, he's absolutely gorgeous._

**Stop it, I want to sleep.**

_Do not, or else we wouldn't be having this conversation. You'd be thinking more about kissing him._

**Shut up. You're just lonely and desperate and horny. You'd have romantic dreams about toasters sooner than Sherlock Holmes.**

With a scowl, Kairi rolled over, as if to excuse herself from the conversation with herself, and closed her eyes firmly.

 _You_ like  _him._

**I also like computer terminals and HTML5 but you don't see me having romantic associations with them.**

_Only because it would be weird and you'd be institutionalized._

Kairi shut her eyes tighter and pulled the sheets up under her chin, stuffing her face into the pillows.

**Anymore out of you and I'll start drinking vodka again - you know what happens when I start drinking vodka and neither of us will be proud of it.**

That seemed to shut herself up and thankfully Kairi sunk deep into a dreamless, death-like slumber.


	10. -10-

Days had passed and Kairi was about as healed as she would get. The bites on her body were gone and she no longer felt sick and weak from the venom of the Black Widows. She was due to start back with Mycroft the next Monday, but the thing she was looking forward to most was today.

Today was the day she would pick up Appa.

She was happier than she had felt in years.

She wouldn't pretend that living with Sherlock and John wasn't an oddly enjoyable adventure. Within a week she had seen more severed body parts and heard enough violin concertos to last her a lifetime. Though she had to admit, watching Sherlock play his violin was truly an out of body experience. If she could watch him play that beautiful instrument all day long, she would. His fingers moved elegantly over the strings and his arms moved with grace and power as the bow glided across the taught strings. It was enough to make any music lover's toes curl in ecstasy, but then he would spoil it with his talking.

He truly was brilliant to watch work. The way he fussed around with his experiments and his cases. He seemed to solve three just in the last week she had been living there. They weren't even simple cases, "Police baffled!" the headlines would read, but somehow, this man would defy all possibility, piece together the impossible and draw conclusions where none could be found. He was brilliant and Kairi couldn't help but respect him.

Though she'd never, ever admit it to him.

She did frequently spend time with John and occasionally Molly who had gotten chummier as of late. They'd watch crap telly, discuss tabloids, and of course the cases that seemed to flow in and out of Baker Street as quickly as air. She did enjoy her time spent with John, the splinter of normality in Sherlock Holmes' crazy world. Kairi liked to think he enjoyed her company too, especially when Sherlock was on a tirade and he'd lash out at either of them. Sometimes she would take the heat and give John a much needed break.

Most of the time John would take it, rebuff it with a simple "piss off" and then move on. But Kairi, well, Kairi was Kairi and nine times out of ten, she and Sherlock would end up in a shouting match. They would end up seething at each other and then they would burst apart violently, Kairi retreating to Sherlock's room to cool down and Sherlock would vanish to walk the streets and consume himself in work. Probably why his case-rate was so alarmingly stunning as of late.

They were like a pair of magnets. Unusually drawn together when the timing was right, working in unison and fitting together nicely. But the moment the tides turned, they repelled each other almost violently and nothing, not even science could bring them back together.

She couldn't help but shake her head as she sat in Sherlock's bed, the silky covers enveloping her. She would be quite sad to find herself a new place in the coming days. She would not be returning to her flat. Regardless of the fact that she had been literally overcome by thousands of spiders, she could not bear to live or feel comfortable now that her privacy had been so thoroughly invaded. Slowly but surely, some of her clothes were returned, pressed and cleaned and spider free. Most days she could feel comfortable wearing her own items, tucked safely away in an airtight suitcase Lestrade had brought her when she had been questioned. But other days she could sill feel the prickling on tiny legs and fangs ghosting all over her body. Especially while she slept.

Another reason to look forward to Appa, he was like a giant teddy bear she had dreamed of as a child. One that would protect her from her nightmares. They had been more frequent in this past week. She would wake up murmuring, crying, sometimes even screaming to see Sherlock Holmes, fully suited, or John Watson in is knickers and an undershirt, burst into her room to save the day. She would always apologize and somehow get back to sleep. Sometimes John would stay with her, offering her a glass of warm milk or a soothing hand to help calm her until she felt safe enough to fall asleep. Sherlock would almost always leave immediately, without a word or a response to her teary apology. More often than not, she would cry herself back to sleep, the empty, soundless, body wrenching crying of the hopeless, but eventually she would sleep. She would feel safe. She would almost feel at home.

Another reason she didn't necessarily want to leave.

She slowly moved the covers and stood from the bed. She'd been sleeping in her own pajamas, a tank top and a pair of underwear since Lestrade had brought her clothes. She felt her gut clench when she just now realized Lestrade had picked out her underthings. She had too many pairs of super hero themed underwear to be considered a healthy adult. She couldn't help but grimace.

She slipped on a pair of Sherlock's lounge pants. She knew it irritated him and so she couldn't stop doing it. It was petty, but it was still hilarious. John had even told her of Sherlock's peculiar sock index - and so she would mess with that too. Her favorite trick was taking two identical pairs of socks and mixing them up. She knew he could tell the difference, but usually only once he put them on. In response, he had put a vibrantly fake spider in her suitcase despite the random code on the lock, and had almost caused a hospital visit from the panic attack that ensued. So needless to say, she hadn't done it since.

She looked at his dresser and smiled, "Maybe just once more for old times sake."

* * *

After she was happily showered, dressed, and her make up was applied in the right areas she went into the kitchen for a cup of coffee. She noticed it was already made, most likely by Sherlock, judging by the strong, bitter smell and the fact that it was so black and thick that light didn't escape it. Black hole coffee. She couldn't help but love it, as it was packed with extra caffeine and shocked her system so violently that she couldn't help but be awake for what felt like days. It reminded her of the coffee her Vietnamese college roommate used to make, mixed with condensed milk, so sweet and so wonderfully addictive. She poured herself a large cup, mixing in the condensed milk she bought for just this purpose, and sat at the kitchen table, glancing at the newspaper.

John walked in, saying morning and looking quite blissful.

"Domesticity quite suits you Doctor Watson." Kairi smiled over her cup, "Looking fresh as a daisy. Molly over?" Kairi said glancing towards his room.

"Not that its any of your business," He started firmly but then cracked into a smile, "But yes, it does and no she isn't. She was called into work this morning."

Kairi smiled, "Nothing like a fresh corpse in the morning, I always say."

John started on some tea when they heard and infuriated bellow from Sherlock's room. John glanced at Kairi who continued reading the paper, smiling ever so sweetly.

"What was that about?" John muttered, staring in the noise's direction.

Kairi feigned innocence a little too well, "Haven't the foggiest."

John hmph'd as Sherlock came rushing out of his room, fully suited up but completely barefoot. He charged up to Kairi who remained seated and docile.

"You impossible creature!" He growled at her, "Didn't you learn not to muck about with my sock index!?"

Kairi smiled sweetly, her voice pure saccharine, "Why Sherlock, whatever do you mean?" She had the audacity to look shocked. John tried to hide his chuckle as a cough.

"Shut up!" Sherlock growled, pointing at John and then glaring back at Kairi. "Stop lying, I know you're lying." He said with great venom lacing his deep tone.

Kairi flipped the page of her paper and set her mug down. "Sorry Sherlock. After you so distastefully scolded me last time, almost driving me back into psychosis by the fake spider in my suitcase, I vowed to myself I wouldn't do it again. Must have been left over from the last time." She looked away from him, picked up her mug and sipped it audibly.

"I checked to make sure they were all right last time!" He growled at her while John made his way to his laptop to type up some recent cases.

"Oh, you must have missed it." She smiled wide and Sherlock's eyes went wider, "Sorry Sherlock, wasn't me." She smiled at him and played with her hair. His eyes narrowed and he walked over to the couch, putting his socks and shoes on violently and then rushing from the apartment with his coat in hand. John hazarded a look at Kairi who glanced at him covertly and winked.

He wasn't as successful this time in stifling his chuckle.

That moment the door burst open and Sherlock came bounding back into the flat and went straight for the kitchen. Before Kairi could adequately prepare herself, he had grabbed her wrist, the one that wasn't splinted at least, and yanked her from her seat and dragged her towards the door.

"John we'll always have Paris!" Kairi shouted dramatically as Sherlock dragged her outside into the cold London weather. John didn't even try to stifle his laughter this time.

When they were outside, Kairi was shivering as Sherlock stared at her coldly, "You aren't going to murder me are you? I don't want to be made into a skin suit!" She muttered a little pathetically. She was in a loose teal sweater that hung off her shoulders exposing her delicate neck and strong collar bones. It ruched at her waist but fell down past her hips, clad in thick leggings, that were shoved into clunky boots.

He glanced at her as if she were impossibly stupid and rolled his eyes, pulling out Kairi's cigarette case and her lighter from his jacket pocket and firing up a smoke.

"Hey! Those were hidden with my underwear you perv!" Kairi scowled as he handed her the smoking apparatus.

"Please, they weren't really hidden." Sherlock said around his smoke and watched as Kairi shivered so drastically she could barely light her cigarette. He sighed heavily and slipped off his jacket and handed it to her. She smiled at him, a full smile again and he felt his heart clench. "You really should be accustomed to our weather. Its barely even cold."

Kairi slipped on the jacket and buttoned it up, placing the cigarette in her teeth to hold, "You ripped me from my dwelling before I could grab my jacket! So no complaining. And this is not warm, Sherlock. Its barely 60 degrees! This is shitty weather in California!"

He scoffed, "Well then go back to California. Its lovely weather this time of year."

Kairi couldn't help but laugh, "Dear God, Sherlock has gone domestic - talking of weather!"

He glared at her for a moment and then they shared a stoney silence while they finished their cigarettes. Kairi was watching him closely. A moment ago it seemed like he would have punched her over the sock ordeal and now they were smoking amicably. She had reason to believe this was a trap. Everything with Sherlock felt like a trap, like something unexpected was going to pop up and terrify you or try to kill you. Kairi narrowed her eyes at Sherlock who seemed to be peacefully staring off into the distance.

Now she was really concerned. She was about to open her mouth to apologize when he interrupted her, naturally.

"It seems company has arrived." He muttered and dropped his cigarette to the ground, squashing it with the toe of his shoes. Kairi looked at him with absolute confusion.

Sherlock Holmes detested company. She was 85% sure the man was poisoning her coffee to get her out of the house. So who on earth would he actually be expecting?

She turned slowly to see Molly, smiling wide and cheerful as ever. Trotting next to her was an giant ball of fur, with razor sharp teeth and a giant tongue lolling to the side.

"APPA!" Kairi screamed. She actually screamed and took off running. She tried to ignore the part of her that told her she was being a bit over enthusiastic about her pet. It was rather easy since the other, eight year old part of her brain was screaming so ecstatically and running full speed at the beast, that she barely noticed. Once Appa saw and obviously heard Kairi he lunged forward, yanking his leash from Molly's grasp and started sprinting towards is master as well. They sort of collided on the ground together in a jumble of fur and limbs and licking tongues and kissy noises and happy whines from both parties.

Molly and Sherlock met up a minute later when they had finished walking to where Kairi and Appa collided on Baker Street. Sherlock looked at Kairi and Appa, sitting together in a huddled mass on the sidewalk, many people walking by, staring and appalled by the display. Sherlock couldn't help but look slightly disgusted at the exhibition of affection. He glanced at Molly, who had teary eyes and a foolish smile on her face and he just couldn't quite comprehend.

Kairi was on the floor with Appa doing some alligator death rolls in her arms, seeming like he was completely back to normal. Tears were streaming down her face as she hugged her most constant companion. She didn't realize just how much she had missed her precious pup. Slightly saddened at the thought, she knew she could never replace him, even with a human companion, she'd never be able to be without Appa and the that thought scared her. She looked up into the eyes of Sherlock Holmes who was staring at her with utmost confusion. She smiled at him, feeling a little foolish and then glanced at Molly.

"I thought I was going to get him this afternoon?" Kairi smiled, rubbing Appa's very hairy belly.

Molly just beamed, "Well we thought we would surprise you."

"Well thank you. Its a perfect surprise." Kairi smiled at Molly and then to Sherlock.

He frowned slightly, "I didn't help. You know I have no affection for the animal." Kairi narrowed her eyes at him and stood up slowly with Appa at her side, the dog seemed to glare at him too.

"You could be polite." Kairi muttered at him and reached down to pat Appa on the head, "He is your new roommate."

Sherlock's eyes widened and his lips formed a solid thin line.

Kairi could tell he was not pleased and she couldn't help but smile at him in a menacing way.

"We'll have to see what Ms. Hudson says about that." Sherlock replied in his darkest tone and turned on his heel. Kairi snapped to it and started jogging to catch up to the long legged detective who was determined to see her and her beloved dog homeless.

"I have to go back into work!" She shouted after them, "Not that you would care," She muttered to herself and pulled out her phone while hailing a cab, "Oh dear..."

Sherlock reached Ms. Hudson's door and began knocking violently. Kairi was just behind him, breathing heavily with Appa smiling wide at her side.

"Sit." Kairi commanded softly and he sat patiently at her side, looking up at her sweetly.

"Just a minute, just a minute!" Came the voice of Ms. Hudson from inside. She was just inside her door and it sounded like she was shuffling about in there and tidying things. She finally got to the door and opened it slowly, "Oh dear Sherlock, what is it this time? My hip is troubling me today something awful!"

"Good morning Ms. Hudson, you do look lovely today." Sherlock smiled at her and Kairi rolled her eyes.

"Hullo Ms. Hudson!" She smiled wide, "I'm sorry to hear about your hip. Is there anything we can get you?"

"Oh!" Ms. Hudson put a hand to her chest, "Oh how sweet of you! No dear, I'm all right. I've got my soothers."

"Well we won't bother you anymore then! Get some rest." Kairi smiled and went to tug at Sherlock's sleeve to keep him from bothering Ms. Hudson any longer but he yanked his arm away.

"Ms. Hudson, its my understanding that no pets would be allowed in your flats." Sherlock stated flatly and smiled wide.

Just then, Ms. Hudson seemed to finally notice the large fluffy creature by Kairi's side, "Oh dear lord, he gave me a fright!" She muttered with a hand over mouth. "Oh he's quite large isn't he?" She glanced back at Appa and he was sitting patiently and quietly, his ears folded back and is mouth opened gently to let his large tongue loll out to the side. "Does he bark much?" Ms. Hudson looked back at him and Appa's tail started to thump happily as he looked at her with large kind eyes.

"No. Only at really mean cats or opossums." Kairi admitted, "I mean he really hates opossums."

Ms. Hudson nodded, "Well they are quite detestable" She looked back down at Appa who simply laid down at Kairi's feet and rested his head on the toe of her boot, closing his eyes peacefully. "Oh will you look at that!?" She chuckled at Kairi.

Sherlock rolled his eyes, "Ms. Hudson, please." He sounded completely affronted, "This mongrel will surely act out in such a small area!"

Kairi interrupted, "Appa and I have been through numerous obedience courses. He was registered as a therapy dog in the states and we would frequent children's hospitals and elderly wards! He is very kind and perfectly house trained." Sherlock groaned and Appa let out a light huff, "I also walk him daily to ensure he gets his exercise and wont become bored and destructive."

John came down the stairs at that moment, "That's more than we can say for Sherlock."

Sherlock took that moment to give John the darkest scowl he could muster and John could only smile.

"Well as long as you boys are all right with it?" Ms. Hudson asked.

"I'm okay with it. I've always liked dogs." John smiled to Kairi.

This is when Sherlock gave his most devious grin, "I will not stand for it." Everyone glanced at him, John reluctant, Ms. Hudson curious, Kairi furious. "Besides I think I might have an allergy or something." He faked a sneeze and John and Kairi rolled their eyes at him.

"Oh dearie." Ms. Hudson said putting a hand to her heart, "Well I have a sensitivity to dismembered limbs and body parts laying about my property so when you stop doing that, then the dog can go. Until then," She smiled at Sherlock who looked utterly devastated, "Appa, would you like a biscuit?" She pulled a treat from her pocket and Appa sat nicely for her. She held her hand out and he took it gently from her fingers. In that moment Appa seemed to look at Sherlock with a proud huff.

Kairi leaned in as they walked past Sherlock, "You should have taken me up on sharing the bed, Sherlock. There won't be room for you anymore." She winked and walked away.

"Oh cheeky!" Ms. Hudson chuckled and closed the door on a still astounded Sherlock and an amused John.

"I'll move out!" Sherlock said in a huff.

John chuckled, "No one will take you, you prat." He pat Sherlock on the shoulder, "Give it up Sherlock, they're a package deal."

Sherlock frowned at John, "We're needed at Bart's. Come along Watson." He spun on his heel and walked out of 221 Baker and John sighed, following as he always did.

Sherlock was sitting in a cab outside, pouting as usual, his arms crossed and a sour look on his face, but actually waiting on John. John walked over and hopped into the cab and it took off towards Bart's, and John hoped he had some cash in his wallet.

Once they arrived at Bart's, Molly showed them to the newest corpse that Lestrade had asked them to look at. Lestrade had an unexpected lead from another, less important case, so he would have to meet up with them later to discuss clues. He had left a copy of the case file with Molly for Sherlock and John to take a look at while they investigated the corpse.

"So whats going on with this one Molly?" John asked while glancing at the file. He'd become more adept at reading them over the years, though Sherlock usually did an adequate job of summing them up and correcting them when needed.

"Well-," Molly started, but Sherlock shushed her.

"I'll need you to leave. I don't want to be disrupted." Sherlock said sharply as he inspected the remains.

Molly frowned at him, "Fine." She looked and John and smiled sweetly and he smiled back. They began to walk towards the exit together but Sherlock spoke up when John's hand was on the door.

"Not you John." Sherlock muttered.

John dropped his head and gave Molly a pained look, "Right. See you later?" Molly nodded, a knowing smile on her lips and John bravely leaned forward and placed a kiss on her cheek. Molly blushed furiously and giggled as she left.

Sherlock rolled his eyes.

"Right," John said walking back to the corpse and Sherlock, "So what do you need me for? You shoot me down nine times out of ten anyways."

Sherlock was bent over the remains, inspecting the abdomen of the naked corpse on the slab and he took this moment to glance up at John curiously. "I have some other need for your expertise. In an area I am not," Sherlock paused, trying to find the right word, "Affluent in."

John raised his eyebrows at that. Sherlock Holmes never admitted to being bested by another. He was very curious to hear what this was about. "Right, how can I, uh, help?"

"There was an occurrence I'd like to discuss, about a week back." Sherlock continued to inspect the body, "Ligature marks on the wrist, very faint, possibly old."

"Huh? What?" John shook his head, "One thing at a time Sherlock, my primitive ape-brain cant keep up."

Sherlock looked up at John and stood up straight, placing his hands behind is back and clasping them together, "Well then." He cleared his throat and looked uncomfortable. John was thoroughly enjoying this. "A week ago, on the night Kairi was attacked and we invited her -,"

"You invited her Sherlock. Don't pretend."

Sherlock scowled and continued, "Fine, the night I invited her to stay, she was very appreciative of us giving her room and board. And that night," Sherlock paused, not knowing what to say, "She was acting so different. And when she thanked me, she," He paused again, nervous to admit what had happened, "She kissed me."

Johns eyes widened in disbelief. Not that Sherlock didn't have thousands of adoring fans who would love to get their hands on him, but rarely did Sherlock let anyone, even in his elite circle, get close enough for unwarranted physical contact. "Did she?" John said and Sherlock nodded. "So, what? You enjoyed it? That's not a crime. You are actually human." He paused, "I think."

Sherlock scowled at John, "I didn't enjoy it." He spat, "It was merely confusing. Since we spend most of our time bickering and trying to best one another. Why would she kiss me? She abhors me."

John couldn't help but smile, "Sherlock, are we really discussing girls over a corpse?"

Sherlock frowned, "What does a corpse have to do with it?"

John shook his head and chuckled, "Right, ok. Well women tend to show their appreciation differently than men. She gave you a kiss to show how much she appreciated you letting her bunk in your room. It isn't necessarily romantic, but its about damn time."

Sherlock was nodding along, trying to understand the unique differences of male and female behavior, something he never greatly concerned himself with before, but John's last comment caught him by surprise, "What do you mean 'about damn time'?"

John smiled, "You two are like bickering school children. You pull at her pig tails and she kicks over your blocks."

"What does that mean? She doesn't have pig tails and I don't play with blocks!" Sherlock spat obviously clueless.

John just laughed, "You absolute child! Are you seriously going to pretend that you don't have any feelings for her?"

Sherlock grimaced, "Are you asking if I entertain affection for Kairi?" He scoffed, "That's absolutely preposterous."

John hung his head, "So you offered her your room because you detest her?"

Sherlock glared at John, "I offered because she obviously means something to you and to Molly. She was in danger and she became a client."

John chuckled at that, "So are you offering all our clients room and board now?"

Sherlock stared at the corpse, not really looking, but thinking, "No. Of course not. But you and Molly have a friendship with her. She matters to you."

"She matters to you too Sherlock. Before this whole mess," John seemed to indicate everything around them, "From the first time she punched you in your idiotic face, you knew she was different and you liked her for it."

"She's not," Sherlock paused, "Horrible to be around."

"Yes?" John goaded.

Sherlock shook is head staring at John, "You actually think I have some sort of attraction to her?" He scoffed loudly.

John just smiled, "Well you're asking me about her aren't you? You didn't ask me about The Woman."

Sherlock felt that was distasteful, comparing Kairi to The Woman, "The woman's motives were clear. Kairi's are...less so."

"Why is that?" John questioned, "Irene Adler was secretly using you to find information for Moriarty, while trying to seduce you, while actually being gay, to gain favor with the British government for protection from Moriarty, while actually falling for you?" John rapped his knuckles on the table, "How is that less complicated than Kairi?"

Sherlock glared at him, "I don't know. It was easy to see through her ruse. Kairi is... Less clear." His eyes began flickering over objects nearby, using them to refocus his thoughts. "I can't tell what she wants from me."

"Because she is genuine Sherlock." John muttered, "I don't think she wants anything from you other than to share some cigarettes and maybe some companionship."

Sherlock paused at that and then took is time to look at John, confused, "What did you mean that her and the dog were a package deal?"

"Everyone has baggage Sherlock, even you. Kairi's baggage is Appa. They'll always be together and you'll have to deal with that." John could see Sherlock slightly pout, "He is all she's had since her parents died. You may be able to function alone, but she's not made that way. She needs someone in her life, and so far, its been Appa."

Sherlock scowled at John, "What are you implying?"

John shook his head, "You really are thick, you know that?" Sherlock sniffed at that, "Just...maybe be nice to her more often. She's a decent girl. She tries to be nice to you but you can be impossible. You both like to rile each other and its amusing as hell, but maybe, just maybe, kill her with kindness, eh?" Sherlock's eyes went wide, "Damnit Sherlock its a saying, just...just be nice to her every once and a while."

Sherlock looked down at the corpse, "Let me see the case file." John sighed and handed him the file, knowing he probably didn't make an impression on Sherlock one bit. His eyes seemed to glean over the information with rapid speed, "If the brother works with aluminum, he did it."

Sherlock snapped the file shut and tossed it on top the body, turning and leaving the morgue quickly while texting Lestrade and John following him. John noticed he had the faintest of smiles on his lips.

* * *

Kairi, feeling as triumphant as ever, decided to reward Appa's stellar behavior with a light walk. She could still get to Regents Park from 221 Baker Street so she knew where she would take him. She packed herself a little picnic and took off.

On the rare occurrence she would go out without them she would text John and/or Sherlock to let them know. John would always respond, so she knew Sherlock would know, but he'd never reply. It always sort of riled her. She thought about not responding to his demanding texts but the man would throw an absolute fit.

Once they reached the park, Appa got comfortable on the blanket, chewing on his favorite ball and Kairi sat there snacking and talking to him. She wore a Bluetooth ear piece just for this exact reason, it made her look like she was having a phone conversation rather than talking to her dog. She didn't necessarily care, but it stopped people from calling the cops.

"I mean he's such a child!" She finally spat out, still talking about Sherlock's inability to extend common courtesy to others. "He constantly berates everyone for idiotic things! But yet he expects everyone to absolutely bend to his whims! The moment I try to say no, its always an ordeal." She glanced at Appa who was too busy chewing on his toy to reply.

"I mean honestly, he must have some sort of sensory processing disorder or something. The moment it doesn't go his way he fails to adapt." She muttered around her crackers and cheese.

Appa's eyes seemed to say,  _Well that sounds familiar_.

"Oh don't get started on me! I can adapt! It just takes me time." She paused and took a sip of her water, "I've learned to adjust to changes. I'm perfectly functional." And then she remembered she was talking to a dog. "Oh shut up. He's just so impossible! He can be so amazing and brilliant and watching him work is like seeing the sunrise, so unique and beautiful and devastating! It makes you feel small and insignificant and if he didn't just get off on it, making everyone seem so small, I would almost love him more."

Her eyes widened, "I meant love to be  _around_  him more!" She glanced at Appa who was still enjoying is ball, "Oh you know I can't speak properly. Especially when I'm all wound up!" She took a deep breath and reached for her cigarettes, "He's even got me smoking more! I was barely going through a pack every one or two weeks. It seems like I'm always buying new ones now!" She shook the case at Appa who glanced at her concerned, "He's detrimental to my health! I shouldn't be there anymore. We shouldn't be there Appa." She took a deep inhale, "I know we just had a small victory over him - and I do love beating him - but we've got to make it on our own. That's how its meant to be."

She nodded her head in resolution and decided tonight would be her last night in 221B. Perhaps Mycroft would know of a flat she could rent. He had a guy for everything.

Kairi finished her cigarette and packed up her things, feeling like a new head was on her shoulders. She hummed happily as she made her way back to the flat, prepared to grace everyone with the news.

When she returned, the flat was empty and she was vastly more tired than she'd been in a while. She made her way into the bedroom and shucked off her clothes, to lay down and take a quick nap. Thinking about Sherlock was exhausting.

* * *

She woke up screaming again.

Appa was in bed with her and she hugged him close, whimpering slightly. She never could remember the dreams she had, except that they were dark and they hurt. Sometimes she remembered glimpses spiders, sometimes she saw hands, some nights she saw the glint of a sniper scope in the horizon, but it was always terrifying, it was always painful.

Once she calmed down, she was able to let Appa go and possibly regain some sleep. She looked at the clock and realized she had been napping for almost six straight hours. The day was over now, the sky was dark and she was ready to sleep ten more hours. That's when she heard Appa let out a small chuff, his nose pressed to the crack between the door and the floor.

She stood up slowly from the bed, wiping her eyes and sniffling a bit and walked to the door, opening it as quietly as possible and peeking out the crack. She saw a figure leaning against the wall and almost screamed until she noticed the shaggy hair and lanky shadow.

"Sherlock?" She whispered, "What is it?"

He straightened up, and pressed is hands against is clothing, his eyes looked tired and his voice seemed hoarse, "I heard you scream."

Kairi grimaced, "I'm so sorry, it was a nightmare."

Sherlock cleared his throat, "So you are all right?"

Kairi nodded, trying to keep the grin off her face, "Yes thank you. Did I wake up John?"

Sherlock shook his head in response, "He's at Molly's."

Kairi's eyed widened and she smiled, "Oh. Well good." They were silent for a few moments, each staring at the ground, shuffling feet. "When was the last time you slept?"

"Last night." Sherlock said wiping at his eyes and standing up straighter to feign disinterest.

Kairi rolled her eyes, "For how long?"

"Time is inconsequential." He muttered.

"Shut up you clot. You're exhausted and you look like shit. Come on." Kairi opened the door wide and retreated to the bed. Sherlock tried not to watch her hips roll as she made her way back over. She wasn't sauntering or trying to be seductive. She was just walking, in a loose t shirt that hit her hips, and a pair of black underwear with a very odd shaped cat dressed like a superhero. He even noticed the way the pads of her feet distributed her weight across the floor, it was a natural, common movement, but it still made her hips roll ever so slightly. So he looked away.

"Excuse me?" Sherlock seemed to stutter.

Kairi sat on the bed and pulled the covers up over her lap, "You've seen me in less, clothing and dignity. Just...don't make me regret this. Come and sleep." She patted the bed beside her. "Or I can sleep on the couch." She went to stand up and Sherlock felt the slightest patter of panic in his chest.

"No." He muttered, "Its fine, I don't require much rest."

Kairi scowled at him, "God dammit Sherlock, just sleep with me already!"

Both of them went silent. Kairi's eyes were wide as saucers and Sherlock tugged at his shirt cuffs.

"Oh shut up! You know what I meant!" Kairi spat and laid down with a huff, "If its so impossible for you to lay in a bed with a woman without entertaining sexual thoughts, then fine! Die of sleep deprivation!" She grumbled over her shoulder and tugged the blankets up to her chin, "See if I care!"

After a few moments of scowling and deliberating Sherlock closed the door to the room and made his way to his dresser to get on is night clothes. Kairi could hear the rustling of clothes as she stared at the opposite wall, cursing herself for her thoughtfulness.

"I do not entertain sexual thoughts. They are a meaningless distraction." Sherlock muttered as he got closer to his bed.

Kairi chuckled, turning over to look at him and said, "That's the fun of it Sherlock!"

When she saw him, she tried not to be obvious about her ovaries obvious cry of desperation. It was the first time she had really seen Sherlock in anything other than a full suit or his wool overcoat. He was only in a pair of flannel type pants and nothing else. The tall, lanky detective was much more sinewy than she would have expected. Where she was hoping for small, spindly arms, she was surprised to see lithe, toned musculature. The concave, hollow chest she'd pushed against frequently was actually quite strong and defined between his broad shoulders. His stomach, the one shed thought about punching more often then not, was flat and strong. She rolled over immediately before she thought she'd drool. It was so like him to have the mind of a genius, the body of a god, and the personality of a temperamental Tasmanian devil. She chucked up her reaction to a shirtless man in her nearby vicinity to the fact that she was so desperately in need of male affection. That would need to change before she got desperate enough to look at Sherlock more than twice.

OK, maybe she'd give herself three times.

"Ugh, fun." Sherlock droned, "You don't seem to know what fun is." He said and whipped back the covers to get in on his side of the bed.

At that moment a large furry blur pushed past him and climbed up onto the bed, situating himself perfectly between his mistress and the interloper.

"Oh honestly..." Sherlock muttered distastefully "This is my bed, you beast."

Kairi turned to see Appa lying very close to her but facing Sherlock and most likely glaring, "He's very protective of my virtue."

Sherlock rolled is eyes and sat on the bed, "What virtue?" He grumbled and laid down. Appa was inches from his face and staring him down, "Will he be doing this all night?"

Kairi rolled over and got comfortable, "Probably." She smiled to herself, "And if you get frisky he'll probably take off one of your fingers."

Sherlock groaned and rolled to face away from them both, shutting his eyes with great force and willing himself to sleep. He couldn't. "I want a cigarette."

"Tough titties, you just insulted my virtue." Kairi yawned.

Sherlock sighed heavily and dramatically.

Kairi's eyes were wide open, trying not to think about the man across the dog barrier. She forced her eyes closed and let out a sigh, "Goodnight Sherlock."

There was a long silence and Kairi thought he had already gone to sleep.

"Goodnight Kairi." He finally responded, in a voice just above a whisper.

She couldn't help but smile and she felt comfortable and safe as she drifted off to sleep.


	11. -11-

_The room was dimly lit and whatever light existed seemed to undulate with the music that was thumping through her limbs. Kairi felt light as air at the moment, willowy in fact, as she walked across the crowded room filled to the brim with gyrating, faceless bodies. It was that way in a dance club._

_As she glided her way through the crowd, she would brush up against other couples, moving in perfect sync, their bodies almost melded together. They carried her through the darkness, as if they knew where she was heading, knew where she needed to be, more so than she did. It was obvious of course. Her loneliness, her need, it was practically oozing out her pores. It felt good to be surrounded by such heat, such passion. She hadn't felt it in a long time – if ever – that true zen of humanity, being lost in pleasure._

_She felt herself swallow heavily as she escaped the throng of dancers and came out on the other side of the room. She glanced around, more faceless people she did not recognize, almost all of them had that sleepy look on their faces, full of desire. She felt her abdomen tremble with such desperation. It was pathetic, but so was loneliness._

_She turned and turned, the music spinning her faster and faster until suddenly she was frozen. For a moment, she didn't know why, until she felt the lightest of touches grace her hips. The dress she was wearing was dark and thin, falling across her body effortlessly, and feeling like pure sin against her skin. The fingertips now digging into her sides felt cool and dangerously strange as they fanned out, splaying across the outside of her upper thigh and dared so close to the short hem of her dress. She felt herself spin slowly, into the arms, into the heat of the hands dancing across her waist, and their bodies seemed to meld together like the ones on the dance floor. Their movement was minute, but pregnant with feeling and she closed her eyes to lose herself in the sensation. These feelings, this heat, this is what she imagined taking ecstasy would be like._

_She was chest to chest with the man touching her. Judging by the build, the arms pulling her close and the smell - an all too familiar smell. She felt his hand snake up her side, his fingertips brushing areas untouched for years, scooping up her neck and jaw and forcing her lips into his._

_His mouth was hot, sweet, tasting of cigarettes, the finest of whiskey, and the faintest hint of peppermint. His lips were soft against hers, familiar in a way, comfortable. She couldn't help but moan, ever so gently, leaning her body into his and feeling his desire build to match hers. It must be what heaven is like._

_They pulled back from each other, gasping for air, her face held firmly in his long slender hands, his fingertips pressing_   _against her temples and his thumb running across her bottom lip. Her lips were inflamed, pulsating from the ferocity of such a kiss. She felt burned and soothed all at the same time. She opened her eyes, sleepily, slowly and met his, bright, full of icy flames. He was breathing heavily, staring into her eyes, at her mouth. One hand cradled her face, the other snaked down her side, his touch leaving flames in its wake, fluttering down to the hem of her skirt, lifting it slowly to let his skin touch hers._

Kairi gasped, waking from her almost wet dream and gripping at the covers enveloping her body bathed in a cool sweat. She was breathing quickly, her heart was racing and she gulped heavily, glancing to her side and she immediately calmed.

Sherlock was still fast asleep, his pale lips, almost too familiar to her now, open and relaxed. His entire face was relaxed, which was a surprise. Kairi had assumed that Sherlock would sleep rigidly, almost rigor-like and most likely in a coffin. Instead, she was lying, encompassed in the warm, soft comforts of his bed. Yet after this dream that had left her quaking, she couldn't help but smile at the sight. Sherlock fast asleep, relaxed, pleased, with Appa's giant head comfortably situated on the center of Sherlock's chest. She bit her lip to keep from laughing, but it was no use, she let out the lightest of titters and Appa opened his eyes, keeping his head where it was comfortable and opened his mouth into that general doggy smile.

After a moment and another stifled giggle from Kairi, Sherlock's eyes blinked open slowly, sated with sleep, moaning slightly. His arm reached up in a reflexive movement and laid his hand gently and almost lovingly atop Appa's ecstatic head, his tail thumped the bed. That's when things got heated.

Sherlock's eyes shot open at the texture beneath his fingertips, the soft fur of Appa's crown seemed to lull him into a false sense of security, even for a nanosecond.

"If you want me to leave, give you guys some privacy..." Kairi said quietly, trying to hide her smile and quiet her laughter.

In the next nanosecond Sherlock shot from the bed, shrieking in the most manliest of ways, and jolting his body around like Kairi had done when she dreamt of spiders covering her. He froze and glared at the two of them, Kairi still completely covered, biting her lips shut like a child caught in a hilarious ruse and Appa, thumping his tail at Sherlock, knowing their friendship was instantly solidified.

" _You_!" He growled at Kairi, "You  _engineered_  this! You  _planned_  this all along!" He growled, his eyes practically frantic, wide and crazy, "You seduced me into this situation and made a fool of me!"

Now Kairi was confused, "What?" The heat of her dream hadn't completely dissipated and her eyes roved quickly over Sherlock's shirtless upper half, down to the trim hips, barely holding up his pajama pants. Her eyes widened when she noticed a very common bulge below his waist – well, common for any other man. "Sherlock, Appa wasn't hurting anyone. He just likes to snuggle. As for your," She swallowed, " _problem_ , its very common in males. You don't have to lose your shit."

He glared at her and growled at her, his voice pure venom and hatred, "I am  ** _not_** a  _common_  man!" He turned violently out of the room and slammed the door, making Kairi and Appa flinch.

Kairi sat up in bed, not completely understanding what had just transpired, between her dream, Sherlock cuddling with Appa, and Sherlock's common male indiscretion, she was absolutely blank. She heard John mutter something slight, Sherlock growl some indistinguishable response, the woosh of the wool jacket and pounding feet on the stairs, followed by another slamming door.

Kairi glanced at Appa, "The  _fuck_?" She jumped out of bed and ran to the front room where John was standing, looking like he'd been slapped with a fish.

"Oh, jeez," John started, glancing at Kairi in a shirt and underwear and averted his eyes.

"Oh John, you fished me out of the shower, don't pretend to be modest now!" She muttered with distaste, staring at the open door frame. "I need to move out."

"What?" John looked at her again, honestly confused, "What the bloody hell just happened there? He was half naked! Ran out with only his coat, not even shoes! And here you are, in your knickers -," John froze, his eyes suddenly coming to a realization that made Kairi blush wildly.

Everyone was talking at once.

"Wait, wait, wait!" Kairi started, putting up her hands in defense.

"Its none of my business what two consenting adults choose to do, but if I may, I say its about bloody time-,"

"John I swear! Nothing happened! We slept together, but we didn't  _sleep_  together. I just had a weird dream and Sherlock and Appa were cuddling and evidently Sherlock  _liked_  it-,"

They both paused and said in unison, "What?"

Then they started laughing.

It died down quickly when John had a very somber, sad look in his eyes, "Kairi, you best get ready. Lestrade needs us down at the station."

Kairi's smile fell. She knew that look on John's face, she'd seen it a hundred times before, something was happening, "What's wrong?"

John pushed something down emotionally, "Please, just get ready. Sherlock didn't grab his phone, so he'll come back soon enough and meet us at the station. I'll wait."

Kairi nodded, numbness spilling into her veins as she went to her shared room, with Appa at her heels. She gathered up her clothing and went into the bathroom to shower. It took forever, the water running down her skin, the heat of the water at an almost blinding temperature that she adored. She washed her hair, her face, and her body on auto pilot. Steam was filling up the room and making Appa pant. That's when she decided she was done – despite his thick coat of fur, the dog followed her everywhere since they were reunited, not that she minded really. She needed him around more than ever.

She toweled off and cracked the bathroom door to let all the steam escape, Appa seemed to sigh in relief. She took her time, getting her hair ready, she used a delicate hand to put on her best face of makeup, waterproof and smooth, angular but simple, with lips the color of blood. She sighed, looking into her rather superfluous make up bag, would it kill her to purchase some pink lipstick every once and a while?

Her face was complete. She looked normal – well, normal for her. Her hair was in loose dry waves, growing quickly, and almost touching the tops of her breasts, adorned with a cozy knit cap. Her clothes all in place, a simple black knitted dress with a sloping neckline, showing off her delicate collarbone, barely contrasting grey hounds tooth wool tights disappearing into her favorite, and almost signature, clunky boots. She looked put together. That was the point.

She walked out of the bathroom and smiled as John stood. Good ol'John, always the gentlemen, even when he was getting it regularly. Maybe  _that_  was why Sherlock was so surly. Kairi shook her head to dispel the thoughts. "Why does Lestrade need me?" She was bunched with nerves.

"What?" John muttered, "You're sma-,"

"Don't flatter. Why me?" She stared him down.

John visibly shifted with discomfort, "He didn't tell me. He just said you, me and Sherlock. I'm sure Sherlock will be on his way soon."

Kairi relaxed a bit, maybe Lestrade was just trying to include her. Maybe it was a hint at her attacker. She pulled herself together and smiled at John as bright as she could, "All right, lets go." He nodded to her as she slid on her jacket, and pulled out something brightly colored in blue and Appa's lead. She clipped the lead to his collar and had him step into some sort of vest for dogs. John was looking curious. "Its a service vest John. Appa doesn't get nearly as many accusations and horrid looks when he's wearing his volunteer vest. Its sort of a joke to me," She chuckled, "One of my favorite authors had his main heroine break into people's buildings, discredit their security teams, by dressing up as a service man or handy man. No one notices the man in uniform."

John nodded. That was somewhat true. "Right, lets go."

* * *

Kairi was sitting at Lestrade's desk. A flurry of uniformed and plain clothed detectives were ushering in and out. She and John weren't speaking since there was still tension from the whole Sherlock running out half naked on them. She was flustered, to say the least. The entire morning was glorious and awful and terrifying all at once. The dream she had made her shift in an uncomfortable fashion she was barely familiar with. It had to be her loneliness, her desperation, seeing Sherlock shirtless, the first male in her presence who was remotely attractive driving her mad.

She took this moment to glance up at Lestrade, bravado, strength, that gorgeous silvery hair. Maybe she'd ask him out for a drink – he'd promised her one not long ago, maybe it was time to take him up on his offer. Not that he had a lack of prospects, judging by numerous doe eyed officers who flounced by his office – no, no Kairi was being testy. This entire situation made her feel on edge. She shouldn't judge another female, simply because she was feeling bitchy.

Speak of the devil and he shall appear. In this instance he entered Lestrade's office as if it were his own. Occupying a corner, connected to a window which he stared out of, broodingly.

Though this time he felt right enough to put on some clothes. The same wool coat, the perfectly tailored suit covering a deep purple shirt that seemed to bring out his eyes and make his hair shine like an oil slick after a soft rain. Kairi glanced back at Lestrade, he didn't have the elegance that Sherlock did, that refined grace that exuded from him and made him fascinating, but Lestrade did have something that Sherlock didn't: a soul. His eyes were so full of emotion, of power. Lestrade was a tiger, tamed and strong, lithe and brilliant in his own way. Granted he asked Sherlock for help, but the impossible cases he must come across, the sadistic, absolute evil could only be solved by one man. The man in the purple shirt.

A blush rose on her cheeks when Lestrade glanced back at her, a soft smile on his face and kind eyes – not the type of eyes you'd expect from most cops. He was a good cop, one of the amazing few that really made the difference between quality police work and corruption. He was good stock and it'd be silly for Kairi to ignore it because of a ignorant hateful relationship that made her blood broil.

His back was still to her and it made her even more upset.

"Why am I here?" Kairi accidentally shouted and everyone in the room froze. Sherlock didn't budge, but he hadn't since he'd arrived. She cleared her throat, "Sorry," She lowered her voice, "Honestly, why?"

Lestrade cleared his throat as well and glanced to the few members of his squad that wouldn't be needed for this conversation and nodded for them to leave. The room began to clear and Kairi could feel herself vibrate with discomfort. She glanced up and saw the fraction of a second it took for Sherlock to cease looking at her over his shoulder and stare back out the window.

"There's a new case that has been brought to my attention. This was a murder of an elderly woman in the states." Lestrade paused when Kairi looked up at him again, her eyes curious.

She couldn't help but glance in Sherlock's direction, he was staring at Lestrade with curiosity as well.

"In the states? How did it get back to you?" Sherlock deigned to speak.

"The manner in which it was committed, a rather brutal murder. An elderly woman, Kimberly 'KiKi' Mewes was stabbed to death, 19 times in the chest, with a steak knife." Lestrade began and Kairi felt herself shudder slightly.

"Suspects?" John asked, and Sherlock scoffed.

"Yes – well, we know who did it." Lestrade said and opened his mouth to speak, but Sherlock interrupted.

"Then why am  _I_  here?" He said distastefully and stared back out the window.

Kairi noticed how uncomfortable Lestrade looked, something must be incredibly troubling for him to be this flustered. "Shut up Sherlock." She rasped at him. He took a moment to looked taken back by her tone.

"The woman had a hourglass carved into her abdomen. She was also African American." Lestrade paused at everyone's confused look, "And her husband had recently died."

John was silent, Kairi was silent, and Lestrade went to speak but yet again, Sherlock opened his mouth, "A black widow." He turned and stared at Kairi, smiling.

Kairi glared at Sherlock and glanced back at Lestrade, "What does this have to do with me?"

"Aside from the fact that you seemed to be breeding them recently?" Sherlock chuckled at his own joke, everyone else glared at him.

Kairi could barely look at him. The damn man was an infant. Wake up with damned morning wood and he accuses her of being a witch and magically seducing it out of him through Appa. He was the smartest imbecile she'd ever encountered. She could use a good punch to his face.

Lestrade looked horribly uncomfortable, "Kairi, the person who murdered Ms. Mewes was your mother."

Kairi went paler than any had seen her go. She seemed to slump in her chair, everything about her going slack, going numb. Her mouth dropped open and let out a shuddering breath. Color paled from her sight, everything went fuzzy in an instant.

John went to her side, to grasp her hand, Lestrade was around his desk so quickly you wouldn't think it possible, and Sherlock, Sherlock turned, staring at Kairi who was pale, empty, and shaking.

Her hand was held, a man was kneeling next to her whispering caring and reassuring things in her ear, but she looked at Sherlock, staring at him with wide open eyes that were reaching out to him like he were her only lifeline.

It took his breath away and made his heart ache.


	12. -12-

"Now Kairi we need to ask you some questions." Lestrade's voice seemed tinny and she didn't really register what he had actually said though he was at her side, sort of kneeling next to her with his hand on her arm.

"Must we do this right now Inspector?" She heard John say, he was on the other side of her. Two figures, consoling her, whispering into her ear. She would say it was a devil and an angel, but she knew where the devil was standing, across the room, staring right at her.

Kairi hadn't realized she was staring at him during this process.

"I'm sorry John, but yes, we do. I'm worried that this is a message for Kairi and she might be in danger." Lestrade finished and John scoffed.

Sherlock never took his eyes from hers. He looked pained, uncomfortable. Kairi thought that maybe he had never encountered such a personal death before, but from what she gleamed from Molly, Ms. Hudson, John, and Mycroft's files, she knew better. Sherlock was shrouded with a lot of darkness and it wasn't just a ploy to keep people at a distance. He was dark, and almost sinister, but there was something about him that kept pulling her to him. A weird sort of friendship doused with a little bit of shameful attraction. They worked differently from other people. Self-prescribed outcasts who only perpetrated their existence with somewhat abhorrent behavior. Kairi would withdraw into herself, go into hiding, invest all of her friendship with an animal who didn't know any better than to love her unconditionally. Sherlock on the other hand would lash out, put down others, hide upon his pedestal glaring down his nose at the paltry people surrounding him. He was dangerously brilliant, but volatile and misunderstanding of his own emotions - when he had them.

"Kairi, would you like a cuppa?" Lestrade asked gently, his warm hand enveloping hers. She finally broke her eye contact with Sherlock and took a deep breath, one that she didn't realize she had been holding.

She shook her head gently, "No thank you, I'm sorry I'm not British enough for a cuppa to help me right now." She smiled at Lestrade and he smiled back.

"Would you prefer we do this privately?" Lestrade asked, glancing to John and Sherlock, "I don't want to put you out if you'd prefer not to talk around them. They could very well be valuable assets, but its nothing they can't get from a transcript."

Kairi smiled a little sheepishly, "I - I don't know." She felt lost as she stared into Lestrade's sad eyes. Her mother had murdered someone in cold, vicious blood.  _Her_  mother. The woman who raised her, who loved her, who healed people. That woman who was undoubtedly the most caring, loving soul in all of the universe was now in the same league as Robert Black, Jeffery Dahmer, Gwendolyn Graham... Her mother was a brutal murderer. How could this happen?

"Of course we'll be staying, I may have questions of my own. This is turning out to be quite a deliciously perplexing case." Sherlock finished, with the tiniest of smiles on his lips. He wasn't looking at Kairi now. He was standing behind Lestrade's desk, looking over the file contents spread there.

"SHERLOCK!" John bellowed in a most scathing tone.

Sherlock glanced up, rather shocked at John's vehemence. His eyebrows crinkled in confusion, about to open his mouth, when he looked at Kairi and Lestrade. Lestrade had simply wiped a hand down his exasperated face, looking at Sherlock in absolute shock. However Kairi, staring at him as she was now, absolutely forlorn, exhausted, and horrified, cracked his resolve.

Sherlock said quietly, "How very insensitive of me." He added in a whisper, "I'm sorry."

"Get out." Kairi said softly, tears streaming down her cheeks.

"Excuse me?" Sherlock couldn't understand her, her voice was trembling and barely a whisper.

"GET OUT!" She screamed at him and everyone flinched. Appa who was lying by her side, stood abruptly and glared at the recipient of his master's rage.

"But I-," He started, wondering why his apology wasn't good enough.

Kairi stood abruptly and quickly walked over to Sherlock who tensed up ready for a punch. She got right up in his face, close enough to kiss, and she looked at him, dead in the eye with almost perfect hatred beaming at him, "Get out. Leave me alone, you horrible,  _horrible_  man. I  **never**  want to see you again." Her voice was low, level, and deadly serious.

Sherlock was gazing at her. Every single clue that he could pick up on said that she was telling the truth. That she meant what she said. He opened his mouth, at a loss for words.

"Sherlock." John said quietly, clearing his throat. "We need to leave."

Sherlock was still staring at Kairi, so full of absolute hatred and sadness directed at him. His mouth was flopping open and closed like a fish as he searched her eyes and his mind for the right thing to say. "I'm so sorry."

And then Kairi slapped him. Sherlock had been slapped before - MANY times before - but none of them came close to the sting left in Kairi's wake.

"Leave me alone." She hissed at him. "I can't believe I actually thought -," She stopped herself, her chin trembling from fighting back tears.

"Sherlock,  _now_!" John growled at him and walked over to where Sherlock was standing, still gaping at Kairi, who dropped her face into her hands and began crying, soft, soundless sobs, that shook her entire body. As he reached out to touch her, John began pulling him away and Lestrade came round the desk and pulled Kairi into his arms.

It hurt, seeing her collapse into the arms of Lestrade. Not so much that she was crying, but the fact that it wasn't him. It felt like it was his job, and here he was, fired right and proper from one of the only friendships that he was able to cultivate on his own. Sherlock turned, with John's hands on his arm, guiding him out of the room like the imbecile he was, removing him from the heartbreak he had caused.

Once gone, Kairi's sobs seemed to subside as Lestrade held her in his arms. She wrapped her arms around him and he hugged her tighter, she felt his lips just barely touch her head over her cap and she closed her eyes tightly, relishing in the actual comfort he was supplying. The man knew how to handle women, not just lovers, but wives and daughters too. He was an adept hugger and it was precisely what Kairi had needed.

"I'm really very sorry Kairi." Lestrade said quietly, his lips to her hair, breathing her in. "We don't need you to answer any questions right now if you can't. I can't imagine what this must feel like."

Kairi fought back the sobs that threatened to escape by biting down on her lower lip, "No, it needs to be done." Her voice was shaky and weak, nothing like how she usually sounded. "I need to find out who is trying to tear my life apart. What's worse, I also need to call my sister."

Lestrade chuckled a bit at that. "She's already been notified by the police. I'm sure she will want to talk to you."

Kairi nodded her head, still enveloped in Lestrade's presence. He was all sorts of calming and friendly that she didn't want to let go. She knew just how untouchy some people could be in England. Molly and John always sort of awkwardly pushed through her attempts at hugging them. Molly would warm up quickly, while John tended to stay stiff until it was over. She smiled a bit at that. Sherlock was even worse. She could barely be quick enough to get her arms around him. Her smile suddenly faded when she thought of what he had said earlier. Cracking jokes, looking amused after he found out her mother was a murderer. She bit her lip again and felt Lestrade's arms tighten around her ever so gently.

She took a deep breath and exhaled, they both knew it was time to pull back and get down to business, "Let's get this over with."

* * *

Once they got out of the completely silent cab, John had stormed out of it, leaving Sherlock to pay the cabbie. He pulled out some assortment of bills and tossed them towards the driver, not caring enough to notice the squeak of glee as he exited and the squeal of tires as the cab sped off through the street. He followed John's rage across the pavement and through the door of 221 Baker Street and up to their flat.

John had removed his coat and had tossed it onto the couch. He was now pacing back and forth across their living room, his fingers pressing into his mouth and a frown on his face. He seemed to muttering something to himself, but Sherlock didn't understand it.

Sherlock removed his coat and placed it on his favorite chair, straightening his suit idly, until John decided to speak.

"What the  **hell**  is wrong with you, eh?" John finally shouted when he stopped pacing. "How could you possibly be that incredibly stupid? Do you EVER think about what comes out of that fat mouth of yours?"

Sherlock glared, "Always."

John just started to laugh in that tired way of his, "You absolute shit! You are a giant liar."

"I don't -,"

"Shut up you twit!" John growled scathingly, "You can't take two seconds from your mental masturbation to just look at the poor girl and see how absolutely destroyed she is! Its one thing to ignore an absolute stranger - which is still despicable by the way - its another to completely stomp on the feelings of someone you love!"

Sherlock grimaced, "I don't lo-,"

"I SAID SHUT UP!" John shouted and Sherlock quickly shut his mouth, "I'm not saying you're going to marry and have babies, but you care for the damn woman Sherlock, you absolutely care!" John spat at him, "Couldn't you see just how torn up she was?"

"I-,"

John simply glared at him and Sherlock returned to silence staring at the floor like a child, "The poor thing is already so destroyed over this entire ordeal. Jesus Sherlock,  _Spiders_! She could have gotten seriously injured and her dog could have died, and the poor thing gets rescued by you of all people. What a poor idiot to fall for someone like you." He growled and sat down, placing his face in his hands.

Sherlock was silent for a moment, he walked slowly to his chair and sat down opposite of John, placing his elbows on his knees and steepling his fingers on his lips. His eyes closed firmly.

"Don't you have anything to say?" John said tiredly, his voice almost shaking.

"Am I allowed to speak now?" Sherlock asked levelly.

"Don't be smart with me you git, you deserve to have your lips sewn shut." John glared at Sherlock whose eyes were still closed.

"You're right." Was all Sherlock admitted.

"What?" John asked, genuinely surprised, his hand dropping from his face to look at Sherlock.

Sherlock cleared his throat, blinking his eyes open and taking a deep breath, John could have sworn his eyes looked wetter than usual, but he was probably imagining it. "I said, you are right. I was incredibly insensitive." He paused and glanced at his hands, "I cannot help myself when a case arises. Its the only thing that I have to keep me sane."

John scoffed, "That's simply not true you dolt." Sherlock looked up into his eyes, a little more hollow than before, "You have so many stupid people - me included - who actually care for you. Even if you are an ass."

"But Kairi-,"

"She's included as well." John sighed. There was silence for a few minutes while both of the men collected themselves.

"What-," Sherlock paused, "How can I fix this?"

John let out a breath he was holding, "Time Sherlock, which you don't have. Help her find out what is happening with her mother, but be invisible. She's obviously in a lot of pain and you only made it worse. Give her time, help her, but stay out of her way until she's ready for you to be in her life again."

"So your saying I have to wait?" Sherlock looked up at John who nodded, "I hate waiting, its boring. And I want a cigarette."

"Tough shit, you need to wait and you need to do it patiently, as humanly as you can muster, you ape." John chuckled at Sherlock, as brilliant as he was, he was still such a child.

Sherlock nodded and closed his eyes, resuming his thinking stance. It was time to start deconstructing this case and discover who was truly behind it.

* * *

"Tell me about your mother Kairi." Lestrade started.

Kairi stared at the recorder on his desk. She was always a little nervous to be recorded, hoping her voice wasn't too high or she didn't sound like an idiot. Unlike  _some_  people she took time to think before she spoke.

"My mother, Deanna Aria, was born May 16th, 1952 in California. Her family wasn't well off and unlike the rest of her siblings, she wanted to go to college, become a nurse, so she joined an outreach program when she was a teenager that worked with the United States Marines." Kairi smiled at the thought, remembering so many pictures from her mother's younger years. "Through that program, she went to school to become a nurse, eventually a Marine Doctor. My mother was one of the most caring, loving, and intelligent people I have ever known.

"She met my father in the Marines and they started their lives together, both young, both fresh faced and during a time of relative peace. My father was going through training for the Special forces, he was a Marine Corps Sniper, training to be a part of what is now known as MARSOC. They got married shortly before he was recruited. Once they were married, she went back to part-time doctoring, mostly volunteering and keeping their lives together since they moved around so much. She was a great Doctor and volunteer nurse, my father was gone a lot so she ended up doing a lot of traveling, going wherever she was needed until she got pregnant with me. She settled down while my father prepared to do the same, he couldn't retire or anything, but he could resign from MARSOC, and take up a teaching position on base. He was gone a lot of my first year, traveling around and working on his education and building up his rank. She was alone a lot and then she had us. My sister was born two years after me.

"She was a very good woman Lestrade. But when my father died in 2010, she just couldn't take it. Her family had a history of mental illness and she was already 58. I know its young but she basically fell apart. He was not that far from retirement. Less than a month and he would have been free and they could have traveled and done what they wanted to do." Kairi finished quietly, "They were soul mates, she always told me that." It still made her smile, despite the pain.

"How did your dad die?" Lestrade asked.

"He was killed in action. Within a year after his death, her depression worsened, her memory was failing. Her doctor's think that it would have eventually happened to her, but the loss of my father, with no explanation, no body returned to us... I think it was all just a little too much." Kairi took a deep breath.

"Have you seen her much in the last three years?"

"I saw her two years ago, for the last time." Kairi admitted sadly, "She asked me not to come back and my sister thought it might be best as well. So I took off." She fought back some tears, "Look, my mom was suffering from Alzheimer's, she never got complaints, she was always a good patient, never violent. I honestly don't know how this could be possible."

"The police reports and your mother's files don't say anything about a violent history." Lestrade said glancing at the papers, "Is there anything that would cause your mother to be violent? Anything in the past that ever made your mother truly angry? I'm not trying to insinuate that your mother was a violent person, all right Kairi? I am just trying to figure out why you mother, as well thought of as she was, would do this."

Kairi bit her lip. She stared down at her boots which she desperately wanted to bury into the floor, maybe her head at the same time. Maybe just all of her. She would just curl up into a ball, find a hole, and live there forever. "The only time my mother ever became less than amicable is if she felt one of us were threatened. Our family was very dear to her, since her parents and siblings were never that close. I think someone tried to yell at my sister once, accusing her of stealing their child's toy when it had actually fallen off the stroller -," Kairi chuckled, the memory fresh and bright in her mind, "Man my mom was so pissed, she really ripped that lady a new-," And Kairi stopped herself, looking up at Lestrade who looked just slightly sad, her heart broke all over again. Her mother was a murderer, "Is she all right? Am I allowed to speak to her?"

Lestrade looked uncomfortable this time, "Well, it seems that she hasn't been well since the attack. They have her in a solitary room and she's also on suicide watch. She hasn't really be talking to anyone, only muttering to herself. Her doctors are concerned for her well being, but aren't quite sure how to address the issue at hand. I think it might be best if you call your sister and talk to her about this. Maybe you two, in combination with her doctors, may be able to help your mother find her way back to reality."

Kairi smiled weakly at that, ruefully if you will, "We've been trying to get my mother back for a few years Inspector. She's been gone for a long time and nothing short of my father being alive will bring her back to us." She moved to stand and Lestrade went ahead and clicked off the recorder. He stood and walked over to her, pulling her into a hug.

"If you need anything at all, please don't hesitate to contact me, all right?" Lestrade said, his warm breath tickling her neck and ear.

Kairi pulled back, her entire system was raw from the emotional overload. It felt nice to be in his arms, but she just couldn't do it. "Thank you Inspector. If I can be of service in any way, please. Let me know."

"Will do. You should go home. Get some rest." Lestrade smiled and squeezed her shoulder. "If you need a drink later..." He left the statement open and Kairi smiled at him in a small way. She gathered her things, Appa still lying down by her chair got up dutifully and followed his master from the room. Kairi got outside, the hustle and bustle of the street outside Scotland Yard, now almost a distant memory from when she used to work there those many months ago. How long had it been with Sherlock Holmes twisting her life into the macabre? It felt like years, but in reality, it was probably only months. She waved for a cab and one stopped - that had to be the luckiest thing to happen to her in weeks - but when she went to open the door she had no idea where to possibly go. She didn't want to return to Baker Street, with all her things and her demon residing there. She could for to Molly's, on the off chance that she was home. Her last ditch effort would be going to the morgue, camp out with Molly until she was done and squat at her place until work tomorrow with Mycroft. But it also meant she'd need to talk to Molly about all of this. This disaster of a life she lead.

"Sorry," She told the fidgety cabbie, "I'm just going to walk." She shut the door and he drove off to the next fare. She pointed herself towards St. Bart's, it was only a two mile walk and she and Appa could use the air. She tied Appa's lead to her waist so he'd be close by and dug her cell phone out of her pocket, connecting the headphones to make a call. She plugged them into her ears and typed out a very familiar but very unused number. It rang twice.

"Hello?" A male answered.

"Adam, its Kairi." Kairi smiled. Adam was her brother in law, father of her nieces. An adorable, loving man who took very good care of his family and loved them to bits. It was almost nauseating and she'd be jealous of her sister if she weren't just so damn happy she could find peace. "Is Heather home?"

"Oh Kairi, its good to hear from you! Its been months. Heather is home but she's in the bathroom. We just got done talking to the police about your mother. Kairi," Adam paused, "Kairi, I'm so damn sorry."

Kairi smiled as best she could and took a deep breath, "Thank you Adam. Everything will be okay. We just need to figure out what triggered my mom. If I could talk to Heather that'd be great."

"Sure, just a moment." He paused and tried to put his hand over the speaker, but Kairi heard him anyway, "Julie! Could you come and take the phone to your mom, its Auntie Kairi."

Kairi could hear the squeak of a happy voice, "Auntie Kairi!?" The shuffling of small feet, the soft 'ow' of a father while the phone was clawed at. "Hi Auntie!"

Kairi smiled wide, "Hello Julie, how are you doing?"

Kairi could practically feel the buzzing energy of the seven year old over the phone line, "Things are great Auntie! We just gone done with soccer this past week. My team won four games!"

"That's amazing sweet heart! I hope your dad taped some because I would really, really love to see them the next time I come by." Kairi smiled, the child's joy was infectious.

"Oh yeah, he tapes all of them." Little Julie laughed, "But I don't really know how good they are, he was usually running up and down the field chasing after me and screaming his head off."

Kairi chuckled at that and could easily imagine Adam doing such a thing. He was one of those men born to be a father. "I can totally see that Julie. How is Danni?"

"Danni is doing well! She's practicing piano now!" Julie said in a very mature sounding voice. Kairi could tell that Julie was just starting to think of herself as a growing almost double digit girl - Kairi shuddered at the thought - and already being so smart and independent, if hormones were added it could spell disaster. "Though she wants to do guitar, but mom says she has to finish out three years of piano before she switches."

"I bet she's fantastic, just like you were." Kairi focused on her conversation, letting her feet and Appa guide her through foot traffic.

"Yeah, she's really good!" Julie added, "I liked playing piano, but I just don't think music is for me, you know? I like sports."

Kairi chuckled, "That's wonderful, you follow your passion Ms. Julie."

"Oh I plan to." Her voice was so sure, Kairi hoped that she would stay that strong. "Auntie, when do think you will come to visit?"

"Oh I'm not sure honey, hopefully soon. I'll have to talk to your mom and dad about it first. Check our schedules and all that." Kairi said.

"Ok!" Julie responded with such happiness. "Here's mom, hope to see you soon! Love you Auntie!"

"Love you too Julie." Kairi said and heard the exchange of mother and daughter, the scrambling of little feet and then a door shutting loudly, not out of anger, but out of childlike energy.

Kairi dreaded this moment, she didn't talk to her sister much. She loved her, but they didn't talk about it. They didn't have that special blood bond like most siblings tend to, talking on the phone, discussing lives through emails, exchanging gifts during holidays, and funny notes on Facebook. They just didn't grow up like that and Kairi knew it had been her fault.

"Hello Kairi." The voice over the phone sounded tired, drained - exactly how Kairi felt.

"Hi Heather, how are you holding up?" Kairi said softly.

"I'm about as all right as I can be." Heather said softly, "Its almost like dad all over again."

Both of their voices broke at the same moment. Sisters, strangers, holding back tears for the people they loved the most for almost all their lives.

"I know," Kairi started, swallowing her sadness, "I'm sorry I'm not there."

"Its all right. I know you are busy. Things get crazy whether or not you have kids and a family." Heather added, "I'm sorry, that wasn't meant like it sounded."

Kairi winced a little at her sisters statement. There was always a strange feeling between them. Kairi could never settle, never feel at home anywhere, it seemed there was an underlying sadness that always emanated from her. Heather could feel it, Heather could see it, but Heather dealt with it differently. Heather moved on, created a life, lived quite happily. Kairi couldn't get over how her sister could just be happy after what they went through, Heather couldn't understand why Kairi couldn't let go. They were at an impasse.

"No its fine. We both deal with things differently." Kairi added, "So you've talked to the police?"

"Yes." Heather continued, sounding more official, more in control, "Do you need, the, um, details?"

"No," Kairi stated firmly, "That's part of why I'm calling. This is going to end up being kind of a mess. A joint operation to solve why mom murdered that woman and why-," Kairi paused, slightly ashamed, "And why I was attacked about a few weeks back."

There was silence for a moment, "You what?"

"I'm sorry Heather, I meant to call sooner, but I've been recovering and so has Appa," Kairi started but her sister interrupted.

"Why wouldn't you call me? Are you okay? You can't shut me out completely Kairi! I care about you!" Heather's voice began to tremble slightly.

"I'm really sorry. Things have been completely mad out here. I've been trying to recover and get my life back on track. Honestly I wasn't that badly injured but it turned my life upside down a bit." Kairi felt genuinely sorry.

"I know... I just-," Heather paused, taking a deep, calming breath, "Kairi we are all we have."

Kairi smiled, "You've got a lovely family to look after. You don't need to worry about me. I'm the older sister, I'd be doing the worrying if there was anything to be worried about. Everything will be okay. I just want you all to be safe."

"Just because you tell me not to worry doesn't mean I wont." Heather added.

Kairi sighed, "I know." She paused trying to re-order her thoughts, "How about I come out soon? We can talk things over in person and I can explain to you what's happening?"

"That would probably be good." Heather admitted, "I don't like you being so far with all that's going on." There were a few beats of silence, "They wont let me see her. The doctors are saying she's almost catatonic. Barely moves, barely eats, doesn't sleep. I'm worried about her."

Kairi felt tears welling in her eyes, "I know, so am I." Kairi took a deep breath and added, "I'll figure it out with work. They should be able to let me be mobile. I don't see how it will be an issue."

"Okay, well just let me know when you come out. The police were saying that the trial would be relatively small and painless considering mom's condition. Evidently violent deaths like this can happen in psych wards." Heather added in a cold voice, "I just wish I would have helped her. I visited her all the time. Nothing seemed different." A little bit of panic was setting in.

"Heather don't you dare do that to yourself. First of all you have shouldered almost all of the responsibility of mom. You have a family you need to worry about, first and foremost. Do NOT think that there is anything you could have done that could have stopped this. This is not your fault. At all." Kairi added vehemently.

She could hear her sister's silent sobs over the phone, "I'm sorry."

"Don't be." Kairi started to feel the sadness well up inside of her, "We will get it figured out. I promise."

"I know Kairi. You always had a way of fixing things." Heather added, "I love you. Let me know when you'll be coming in. You can stay with us."

"Ha, fix things? You have me confused with..." She let that statement trail off, not feeling right mentioning her mother, "Thanks Heather. I love you too and I'll keep you updated." Kairi finished and they hung up.

She wasn't too far from St. Bart's now. She would go in and talk to Molly maybe see if she could squat at her place for a few days until she could figure out a time to go and visit her sister. She'd need John to bring over her stuff. She didn't think she could take seeing Sherlock just yet. She was still so mad at him. The absolute idiot. She shook her head trying to dispel the small shred of logic and decency telling her to remember just who Sherlock was. Murder was his life, his breath, his blood. He thrived off of it, she shouldn't think anything involving her should be different.

They didn't have a relationship. They shared a smoke and usually some angry looks. Kairi gulped, they shared a bed. But only for a night! It was nothing, absolutely nothing to him and she needed to remember that. The man was infuriating in every possible way. He was completely self-obsessed, he didn't give a damn about anyone or anything outside of a case.

She needed to remember that to Sherlock, she was nothing but a case to solve and forget.


	13. -13-

"So how long do you think you'll be gone?" Molly asked quietly, nervously.

Kairi was rearranging her paltry possessions in a suitcase she had been living out of for the past month. Appa was lying down at the foot of Molly's couch, his head lolling on Molly's favorite pillow. Kairi looked up at Molly, who looked sad. "I don't know Molly. I have to see if I can learn anything from my mother or the police in the states."

"Then you agree with -," Molly paused, remembering it was in bad taste to mention the "S" word, "You think that its all connected?"

Kairi sighed heavily, folding her clean tank top with great care. "I don't know, I don't know what to think. That letter, the spiders... What my," Her voiced cracked, "Mother did to that woman... Its all too strange to be a coincidence. My mom would never do something like that. Even in her most confusing, angriest moments... She'd never been violent. Not this way..." Kairi closed her eyes tightly, gripping the now rustled tank top in her fingers.

Molly let out the tiniest squeak of an apology, "I didn't mean-,"

Kairi looked up at Molly, smiling sheepishly, "Oh Molly, you don't need to say anything. I know what you mean. You've been so great to me."

Molly chuckled, "I just..." She paused, "I'll miss you."

Kairi chuckled, "You'll miss me squatting in your living room? Taking up space and eating all of your food?"

Molly chuckled, "Be fair. You've been paying for groceries. Its technically your food."

Kairi smiled back at her, "I'll miss you too Molly, but its just a little holiday, I'm not going to stay forever."

Kairi walked to the bathroom and gathered her belongings. She tried to be meticulous about it, cleaning up as she went along. She wasn't a messy person in any way, but she knew she was in someone else's home and she respected that. Molly was meticulous, like Kairi was, and it was a joy to be in a home so very clean and to feel safe. Maybe not  _as_  safe, but safe none the less. No one could get to Kairi with Appa still around. She finished gathering her toiletries, packing them away in her small tote. She had a ridiculous amount of make up for someone who really didn't do much with it. Either way, she packed it all away as if it were a treasured belonging. Its nice to have at least something to hide behind.

As she went out to Molly's living room she smiled as she watched Molly, sitting on the floor with Appa's head in her lap. She was rubbing his head, the spot between his eyes, very gently. Appa's eyes were closed in bliss, his mouth wide in a smile, and his tongue lolling to the side. He adored Molly. If Kairi had any sense of sanity, she would suggest he stay with Molly during her trip. Getting on the plane was always a hassle with good old Appa. His paperwork was immaculate, his shots all up to date, and he was registered as a therapy dog, so he could ride in fuselage with the rest of the passengers and not in the cargo hold. Still, there were always sideways glances, upset mumblings and such, but Appa surely ignored it, then so could she.

"When's your flight?" Molly asked, trying to seem like she was petting Appa's head absently.

"6:30 pm, I believe." Kairi smiled tossing her toiletry bag into her suitcase and zipping it up.

Molly did her awkward throat clearing thing while petting Appa.

"Yes Molly?" Kairi smiled, looking at Molly sideways.

"Well, erm..." Molly started, rubbing Appa's ears more vigorously now, "I know its not my place or anything, but have you, erm..." She paused again, Kairi knew what she was trying to ask, "Have you talked to Mycroft?" Molly chickened out.

Kairi tried not to look too upset, "Yes, I did. He's given me a terrifying laptop for my trip. I hope I can get through customs without too much hassle. Its completely black, completely sleek and ominous looking." Kairi reformed her smile and turned to Molly completely, "Its all been taken care of."

Molly smiled awkwardly at that. "Well, that's good."

"Yes, he was quite understanding." Kairi chuckled at that and walked over to Molly to help her up, "Surprising since I was absolutely sure that entire family was born without souls."

Molly smiled awkwardly, "Have you talked to him... At all? Since...well..."

Kairi sighed, "No, I haven't talked to him for two weeks."

Molly smiled weakly, "Well, that's an abnormal amount of restraint for him." Kairi looked at her strangely, "I mean, if Sherlock wants to do something, he does it. He has no sort of impulse control." She smiled.

Kairi frowned, "Well, I'm sure he didn't want to contact me. Not after everything that was said and done."

Molly gaped, "No! No I didn't mean that! I  _know_  he wanted to talk to you!" Molly insisted.

Kairi chuckled, "Please Molly, don't..." She sighed, "Don't patronize me. Sherlock Holmes is an entirely impossible man. He does not have friends. He does not carry sentiment."

Molly looked ultimately flustered, "That's not true. The things he's done..."

Kairi looked up at Molly, fighting to keep a peaceful smile on her lips, "Not for me." She said quietly. She turned from Molly quickly as if nothing was said, "Would you mind if I had a cigarette on your balcony?"

Molly sighed, "No, of course. Have at it."

Kairi turned and smiled at Molly, her grin wide and honest, as if all the emotion she was feeling a moment before was gone, "Thank you."

Molly grinned back, always stunned at her changeability, "You're welcome."

Kairi slipped outside, Appa stayed at Molly's couch side, gazing at Kairi longingly through the glass. Even in just two weeks he had started to really bond with Molly. Kairi wasn't all that surprised, Molly was just as vulnerable, just scared as Kairi was, but her energy at least hadn't succumbed to it like Kairi's had. Molly was still painfully positive, Kairi could only manage it occasionally. Appa adored Molly the same reasons he adored Kairi, Molly showered him with affection and she needed him. Though for Kairi it was desperately more.

She inhaled deeply on her cigarette. The harsh burn in her throat, in her lungs, it was glorious. She hadn't been smoking nearly as much in the past two weeks, so the nicotine had that sort of heavenly orgasmic type of feeling that washed over her limbs and seemed to stun her mind. It was even more peaceful without the young morose detective bugging the ever living shit out of her. She exhaled the smoke, shaking her head almost too violently, inhaling the delicious smoke and dying for the extra sensation and comfort that was supplied by the aforementioned idiot.

Maybe she'd take her sister up on some therapy. Just maybe.

She stood outside for a few more minutes, staring out at the city around her. Molly didn't have the most luxurious apartment, as if it mattered, but it still had a glorious view. The sort of urban view that hummed inside your bones as you watched cars and buses and humans busy about. As much as she hated people sometimes, she loved that feeling, the invigoration of a busy city.

As an introvert, its easy for people to misunderstand what an introverted person really goes through. Mostly, its the feeling of being completely overwhelmed. Introverts have comfort zones and are able to survive happily being in that comfort zone a very long time. They don't necessarily thrive off of interpersonal interaction and validation, but it still can be wanted. There are certain people that are allowed in that comfort zone, that can contribute to it, while still keeping it safe. Introverts can even successfully go out and socialize, occasionally at least, and talk and laugh, but eventually it overwhelms them. Then they recede back into themselves, in their books, or games, or computers. They find their safety and they cling to it. For the most part they are happy. Except when trying to understand why they don't want the same things extroverts do.

She stomped out her cigarette and disposed of it in the receptacle she had bought for such a reason. She exhaled completely, taking a few deep breaths of that cold, thick, city air and feeling relaxed. Her flight was in a few hours, so she was thinking of getting out of Molly's hair, going down to the airport, getting a drink or seven, reading her books, and then catching her flight. She had her kindle – though it never did replace the absolute love of an old, flexible book in her hands, that musty, smell – Kairi had to take a deep breath. Old Books. Cigarettes. The slightest hint of mint. Sherlock.

She exhaled a jagged breath. The absolutely infuriating and gorgeous genius. She hated him and wanted to crawl inside his brain at the same time. It was exhausting. Right now, she more likely hated him, the cold words, the recalcitrant apology, everything about him was fake and she promised herself to never be involved with such people. Her father was adamant about that and its why she had so few friends.

She slipped off her jacket and left it on the railing outside, walking back into Molly's home and smiling at her. "I can't tell you how much I appreciate this Molly, you letting me stay in your home."

Molly was in the kitchen now, brewing some tea for herself since she knew Kairi didn't much care for it, "Oh you're very welcome. When you come back, I can help you look for a flat, so you don't need to sleep on a couch anymore."

Kairi smiled, "Thank you. That would be helpful."

"Good." Molly smiled, "Well if you'd like I can give you a ride to the airport, whenever you want."

Kairi smiled, "No, that's fine. I'll take a taxi." She put up a hand to stop Molly from protesting, "I mean it. You go to work. You go visit that gorgeous boyfriend of yours." Kairi smiled, checking the time. She had three hours until her flight would leave. "One day you'll have the gall to talk to me about him, Molly. In America we aren't nearly as shy about our sexual experiences. At least, I'm not... Well if I had any decent sexual liaisons to boast about." Molly blushed furiously and Kairi laughed, "Oh Molly. I'm only sort of joking." She winked.

Molly smiled, her eyes tearing up slightly, "Well, one day maybe I will. I guess I'll go shower, get ready for my late shift." Molly reached out her arms to Kairi. "Give me a hug then and keep in contact dammit!"

Kairi smiled wide and shuffled up to Molly, embracing her in a very tight hug, "Oh Molly, I will. I love it here, dearly. You are possibly the closest friend I've had in a long time, maybe ever." Kairi felt her throat tighten, "I will be back with you shortly."

"Promise?" Molly muttered a bit tearily.

Kairi nodded into Molly's neck, nuzzling her and making her chuckle, "Promise."

They pulled apart, smiling and sort of laughing at their own stupidity, "Just... Promise me one other thing?"

Kairi looked at her strangely, "Sure?" She said hesitantly.

"Promise me," Molly started, "Just promise me you'll talk to him, text him..."

Kairi rolled her eyes almost audibly.

"Please..." Molly said, a light chuckle, "He's been such a prat lately, John and I can barely stand it."

Kairi chuckled, "He needs to buy his own cigarettes..."

Molly chuckled, "Kairi..."

Kairi sighed, "I'll...think about it."

Molly nodded, "Right then. You take care of yourself and you contact me to make sure you're safe!"

Kairi chuckled, "I will." Molly smiled, hugged Kairi tightly one more time and went off to go shower. Kairi smiled and gathered up her things, putting on Appa's service dog vest, and heading to the door. She paused and realized she was silly enough to forget her jacket and ran out to grab it. She pulled it on quickly, and stared down at Appa, sitting patiently by her suitcase and wagging his tail. The girls would be ecstatic to see him.

She pulled out her phone and stared at it. No new messages, no missed calls. It was stupid of her to believe that Sherlock would be the one to initiate contact. She knew that he knew that she was going to go home. She knew that he knew how possible it was for her to never come back. He would never be the bigger man. He was always so petty in his dealings, so self serving, but she understood why. He was ostracized, bullied to a certain extent, and all he could do was to be brilliant and scathing and vicious to anyone who interfered. He didn't care, but he did. The idiot.

She put away her phone and made her way out of Molly's flat and to the street with Appa at her side. She waved down a taxi and exhaled deeply, with a smile on her face. She was going home. Or so she thought.

* * *

This wasn't easy.

After two weeks of being at home with her sister, she was almost completely unhinged. It was glorious chaos in the household, with children coming and going to school and activities and craziness. She'd been to soccer games and cheered for frantic looking and determined french braided children running after a leather ball full of air. She'd attended piano concerts with surprisingly decent renditions of Fur Elise by tiny little fingers. Her favorite part had been the dinners each night with the family. Sometimes a child would be over at a friend's house, sometimes Adam had to work late, but they all sat companionably and ate dinner. Sometimes they would talk, sometimes they'd watch a movie, but they'd do it together. It was the type of family Kairi had always envisioned. She was painfully jealous but so completely happy that her sister had established her life.

A pang of regret resounded in Kairi's gut when she had the realization that she would not be so successful. Her pity party was interrupted by a low whine.

She may have been able to sleep in if it weren't for Appa. Every morning, by seven in the morning, Appa was scratching at the door in order to get to his new best friends, Kairi's nieces. He would follow them around, getting bits of their breakfast and happy hugs until he walked them out to the bus stop for school each morning.

Heather was a bit weird about Appa at first, big and terrifying but completely harmless to the right people. But Heather soon understood just how loving and peaceful this monster could be. She soon came to understand how much Kairi needed him in her life. Appa was Kairi's Adam, large, loving, pretty much the most peaceful and loving creature they'd ever had contact with. Heather knew that if a man had such qualities, that Kairi probably would have snapped him up in an instant. How wrong she was... Dogs are much better than men for the most part.

At this moment, it was 6:45 and Appa was clawing at the door, whining desperately. Kairi grumbled from the bed she was in, adorned in a huge fluffy comforter that was an abnormal shade of pink. It had Abby Cadabby on it, who, if you're not familiar, is a frighteningly adorable Fairy God Muppet in training.

Kairi's hair was terrible, it needed a good dye and possibly a trim as it tickled the bottom of her shoulder blades. She went without makeup these days, so she stood dutifully after fighting off Abby Cadabby's likeness, clad in underoos and a tank top and stumbled over to the door. She slipped into her Police Box robe, a gift from Adam, the silly brilliant bastard, and opened the door for Appa as he scampered out to mountains of happy screams and claws against the faux wood flooring. She chuckled lightly and followed him out and went down the stairs to the kitchen where Heather handed over a full mug of her glorious coffee. Heather made coffee like their mother did, thick, black coffee that sucked in the light and tasted like pure heaven.

"You're a saint." Kairi muttered, looking wrecked and sitting at the breakfast bar.

"Keeping a household to two children and a lawyer? You bet your ass." Heather said quietly, but not quietly enough.

There was a squeal to Kairi's left, one that made her brain ache, "DADDY!" Danni screamed, all perfect brunette pig tails and big eyes, "Mommy said 'ass'!"

Heather rolled her eyes and Kairi couldn't help but let out a laugh as Danni, holding onto Appa's collar, went running around the corner, giggling like a mad woman with the dog at her side.

Adam came around the corner, smiling, "You're likely to get a spanking for that kind of language around here."

Heather chuckled, sipping her coffee, "You promise? You're the most gentle person I've ever met?"

Adam snuck up behind Heather and wrapped his arms around her waist. "Oh I'd never lay a hand on the kids, but you might be another story if you asked." He kissed her neck gently.

Kairi groaned, her face in her hands, "GROSS."

Heather and Adam laughed and Heather slapped at his hands around her waist, "Here's your lunch." Heather turned and kissed Adam gently, "The girls' bags are all ready by the door. Will you walk them out with Appa?"

Adam smiled, pure sunshine, "Yes of course."

Heather smiled, "Thank you."

He kissed her squarely on the mouth, "You're welcome."

"GROSS!" Julie practically screeched. Kairi couldn't stop laughing at the poor adolescent witnessing her parent's unbearable love for one another.

"Oh, Julie..." Adam laughed, letting go of his wife, "Don't you want a little brother?"

She stared at them like they had just murdered her puppy and then stormed off.

"Stop teasing her like that." Heather chuckled.

Adam rolled his eyes, "All right, I'll try. I'm her father, she's supposed to be mildly ashamed of me." He kissed his wife on the cheek sharply, "Morning Kairi."

Kairi groaned in response, her face had fallen to the granite counter.

"We'll be off. I'll walk the girls to the bus stop." Adam smiled, "With Appa of course." Kairi raised her hand in response.

"Bye." Heather smiled at her husband in the way that only the loving would.

Adam stopped and turned, "I love you."

Heather smiled, "I love you too."

Kairi simply muttered, "Gross." Heather and Adam laughed as he walked away calling after the girls, the clamoring of claws against the floor following them.

A few minutes of silence passed while the women drank their coffee. The finally heard Appa clacking his way back into the home. Heather moved more quickly than her genetic counterpart as they traveled outside, equipped with a plastic bag and their coffees.

They got out to the patio outside and sat at the table. Kairi pulled out her pack of cigarettes and passed one to Heather. She pulled out a cigarette for herself and they both lit up in silence. Heather wasn't much of a smoker, she coughed slightly on the first inhale, but settled in nicely. They sipped their coffee companionably in silence, smoking their morning away while the kids and husband are gone.

"Thanks." Heather said, quietly.

Kairi looked at her, a bit shocked, "Why?"

Heather smiled lightly, exhaling, "For the cigarette."

Kairi nodded, "No problem. I don't mind." She smiled, "I'm going through much less than I was in England. He always took my cigarettes."

Heather rose an eyebrow, "He?"

Kairi scowled at her sister, "Yes, 'he'."

Heather chuckled, "Its okay to like someone you know. Scientists recently discovered that men do not, in fact, have cooties."

Kairi's scowl deepened.

"You've had a boyfriend or two, you understand." Heather chuckled.

Kairi laughed out loud at that, "Boyfriend or two? Even that's stretching it."

Heather smiled, "I'm glad you're here."

Kairi smiled back at her sister's randomness, "I'm glad too. Its nice, being here. Feeling normal."

Heather laughed at that and took another long drag from the cigarette, "This is normal?"

Kairi smiled, a flash of dark hair and bright eyes vibrated through her mind, "Beautifully normal to me."

Heather chuckled, "What are you getting into when you're in England?"

Kairi smiled lightly, "Dark things, dark fascinating things."

Heather tried to hide her smile, "Oh Kairi, still chasing after the wrong ones?"

Kairi looked at her sister seriously, "They're always the wrong ones."

Heather sighed, "That's what you always think." She took a sip of her coffee, "Maybe, just maybe he's right. You always went for the normal ones when you aren't normal." Kairi looked affronted, "Its not a bad thing Kairi. You being different. You always have been. Maybe you should just stop fighting it."

Kairi sighed and then smashed out her cigarette and lit up another one, "Fight what? Being weird? Being...odd?"

Heather smiled, "We're all a bit odd."

Kairi smiled ruefully back at her sister, "Not as odd as others it seems."

Heather put out her cigarette on her slipper and sighed heavily. She took a sip of her coffee, staring at her beautiful, lost sister. Kairi's eyes were always a bit sad or a bit empty and it hurt her. It hurt her that she couldn't help. They were one two different planes of existence, Kairi and Heather, always crossing and darting about, but never actually intersecting. "You're as odd as you need to be."

Kairi glanced up at her sister, surprised, and silent.

"Are you ready for today?" Heather said, breaking the silence.

Kairi sighed, "No. Not one bit." She replied stonily.

"Well, we better go through the motions at least." Heather replied, standing with her coffee mug in hand.

"At least." Kairi smiled.

"I'll shower first. You can go after me. Then we'll go visit mom." Heather walked past her sister and put a hand on Kairi's shoulder, "It will be all right."

Kairi smiled, "I'll go after you."

Heather smiled and walked back inside, heading towards the house. Kairi smiled at her sister as she walked away. Nothing like tragedy to bring a family together. She sat outside finishing her cigarette and sipping her coffee. She picked up her phone and sent a text to Molly, something she was doing every day at this point. They would discuss little things here and there, the family, the job, each others' hair when they felt like it. She missed England, the dark, brooding, cold atmosphere, yet the warmth of its people.

She missed Molly, she missed John. The hardest part was missing Sherlock. The brooding idiot savant. She hadn't spoken to him in about a month now. He was easily the most closed off, confusing person in the world and yet, she held affection for him. She held more than affection. She missed the stupid man

At that moment her text message alarm went off. She checked her phone and smiled, seeing a text from John. She got texts from Molly frequently, but every so often she'd get a text from John. Usually complaining about Sherlock, since they both understood how utterly frustrating the man could be.

_He's been composing again lately. When will you be home?_

**Home.**

Kairi flinched at the word. She had no such thing. She was at home with her sister, she was at home with Molly, she was at home with John.

She was at home with Sherlock.

She sighed and finished her cigarette, but didn't respond yet, she didn't know what to say. She put hers and the rest of the stinking butts into the bag and sealed it up. She walked it over to the large outside trash can and put the bag in it. It was of utmost importance that Adam didn't know Heather was smoking again.

Kairi, aider and abetter.

She walked back inside, sipping her coffee.

"Shower is yours." Heather shouted from upstairs, most likely perfectly ready in her perfect way. Kairi smiled.

"Be up in a minute!" Kairi smiled and pulled out her phone. She unlocked it, nervous, almost sweating as she clicked open a new text message.

_I'd like to hear your new composition when I get back._

That's all it took. The first contact with Sherlock Holmes in almost a month. She was sure that he'd practically forgotten about her by now.

She walked up the stairs, gathering her clothes and make up as she went to the guest bathroom. She turned on the water, the usual painful temperature that she loved so much. She pulled off her robe, then her tank top and underwear. She stood in the crisp bathroom, despite being in California, they were living in the Bay Area which on occasion got quite chilly. The steam was filling up the room and she was happy to be engulfed by it. She heard her phone chime a second later and wrapped herself up in her robe and went to her bedroom to grab her phone.

She expected Molly or maybe even John or Lestrade.

Instead all she got was this.

_I look forward to it. -SH_

Kairi smiled and put away her phone, chuckling as she went to go shower.

* * *


	14. Chapter 14

_Once upon a time in a very bright and warm world there was a little warrior Princess._

_She enjoyed living on her own, traveling through distant, strange lands and discovering all there was to know about the world._

_Through her travels she met many people._

_Dwarfs._

_Witches and Wizards._

_Werewolves._

_Even aliens._

_She traveled everywhere that she could possibly reach, only to escape the boredom of the normal princess' life._

_This warrior was brave and brilliant and beautiful._

_She feared just about nothing she came in contact with._

_Ever._

_But aside from her bravery, she had the biggest heart in all the land._

_She learned to love and to be brave from all the friends she had met on her travels,_

_but since she often moved around, she rarely got to put those things to good use._

_She was a warrior, but a warrior for no land._

_She was a princess, but a princess to no people._

_In her heart though, she fought for every land._

_In her heart, all people mattered._

_The princess had a glorious capacity to love and to trust and it made her a fantastic companion._

_She would find people in trouble, animals, and creatures far and wide in need of help,_

_and she would solve their problems._

_All was hers in this world, but yet none of it was..._

_And yet, she fought to keep it so._

_In one of her more dangerous travels, the princess met a very perilous Dragon._

_This dragon was a secret to most people in her world._

_If they knew of him, they paid him no attention, but were always wary of him._

_When the warrior princess met the dragon, they became fast friends._

_Everyone secretly feared him, but the princess was the only one who truly looked into his heart and was not afraid._

_As such was her bravery, to see the light in others._

_He gained her trust._

_They became friends._

_They fought battles, they found one another when no one else understood._

_The princess cared very much for the dragon, though she was young and naive and he was almost as old as the sun._

_But for all this time, he had no name._

_And neither had she._

_Born out of friendship unto each other, forming a bond like no one could understand,_

_the warrior princess named her dragon Murchain._

_The dragon named her Realta._

_They had many good times together, fighting the good fight and striving for the truth._

_However, there was a darkness in Murchain that Realta was blinded from._

_This darkness that he was able to keep hidden from the purest and strongest princess of them all, was an evil desire._

_A darkness so pure that it was deep within his blood._

_The darkness poisoned him so deeply, that it never showed._

_He was the perfect liar._

_During a time of happiness, bliss got a hold of the dragon and twisted his insides._

_The grip of bliss was too much for old Murchain who saw the world for what it was, a pit of evil and despair._

_He only wanted Realta to know the truth._

_So he gave it to her in the absolute darkest way._

_He tore at her mind and at her insides in ways that no one could possibly imagine and harmed her in a way she never thought possible._

_She was young._

_She was foolish._

_But as Realta lay, in pain and despair, looking to give up on hope, she was rescued._

_A brave King Knight and his Queen, from a far land, found her and held her._

_They prayed over her and nourished her broken mind until it could heal._

_They gave her a piece of their heart, to replace the piece that Murchain had so brutally torn from her._

_The brave King and the wise Queen cast a healing spell over the princess Realta and taught her the ways of truth and honor._

_They taught her to see past the darkness of the world all around and to focus on the good in individuals._

_It took some time, but they reached her._

_They helped her._

_They healed her._

_And loved her forever more._

Kairi gasped herself awake as her sister was pulling into the Psychiatric home their mother resided. The old fairy tale her mother used to tell her fading from her mind.

Kairi tried not to think about it, but it was almost impossible. She was privy to information that her sister was not. She had taken a peek at crime scene photos that ripped her guts out...

Unfortunately that was a poor expression to use and it made Kairi's insides quiver.

She looked over her sister, who had her game face on. Heather was not only composed, but poised and almost tranquil. Kairi felt like her bowels were liquefying by the second and were close to seeping out of her tear ducts if she wasn't careful.

She had to remember not to cry.

Her mother didn't like people who cried.

As Heather parked the car, Kairi practically leaped from it and started up a cigarette. She felt like the big bad wolf, huffing and puffing on the damn thing, but it was the only way she knew to feel at peace. Of course, there were other ways, but it usually involved copious amounts of liquor or at least a willing partner – maybe both if she was feeling extra pathetic.

"Come on, let me have a hit." Heather reached for the cigarette and Kairi passed it along, only to pull out another one and start it up, "I actually meant to share it, Kairi." Heather chuckled around the filter between her perfectly sculpted lips.

"Can't share today, sister." Kairi let out a pathetic chuckle, "Don't think I can manage."

Heather chuckled slightly at that, "You know it will be okay, right? Obviously, mom's condition is deteriorating. We just need to rethink her game plan. She's gone through so much," Heather noticed Kairi flinch at that, "We just need to see what kind of care should be offered at this point. Its plain to see she isn't in her right mind, Kairi. We knew going into this that it could get worse."

Kairi nodded, "All of this... Its just too weird."

Heather looked at her with a hint of confusion, "What is?"

Kairi sighed heavily, "Heather, I haven't seen mom in so many years. I move to England, I have a semblance of a life there and suddenly it all goes kaput. Everything goes to shit and starts going haywire. I fall into a relationship with these chaotic, amazing people. I get attacked and Appa almost dies. I meet this man, absolutely shrouded in the shittiest luck in the universe – but to him its a field day..." Kairi took a breath of actual air and looked up at her sister with the sad eyes, "I mean...What the fuck? Mom murdered a woman and  _carved_  something into her body!  _What the fuck_?!"

Heather turned towards her sister and grabbed Kairi's shoulders firmly, "Kairi! Listen to me." She shook Kairi slightly, "Mom is not  _mom_  anymore. Mom has lost her fucking mind, just like she lost her husband."

Kairi stared at Heather, dumbfounded. First  _ass_ , then smoking, and then the big old F word. What was happening to her life?

"Listen!" Heather insisted. "Listen to me. We need to go in there and assess mom. Not just as her children, but as intelligent adults. We need to see where she is at and what kind of help she needs. She's  _not_ mom anymore." Her voice cracked slightly at that.

Kairi didn't realize that she was crying until her sister reached up and wiped a tear away from her cheek. "Why are you the dependable one? Why am I such a fuck up?"

Heather shook her head and then hugged her sister around the cigarette, "You aren't a fuck up Kairi, you are successful, if a little eccentric. You couldn't have my life and that's okay. Its better. You know what you want, so just go after it."

A picture of Sherlock, indisposed from many weeks ago popped into her mind and she felt wildly inappropriate thinking of a half-naked man with morning wood as she was going to see her evidently invalid and psychotic mother.

_For shame._

"So let's get this over with." Heather pulled back and smiled, though there was a set to her jaw that Kairi had never seen before. It made Kairi unbearably guilty. Heather was ready to be released from the burden of their mother. Kairi didn't even hate her for it. She had run away too long ago to hate her sister for all that she did. Heather was normal and competent. Kairi needed to learn to respect that.

They both turned slowly, exhaling their last puff of a cigarette and stared at the Gothic looking institution. It looked like something out of a Paranormal Investigator TV show. Kairi was officially terrified.

When they entered and checked in at the front desk, they were both happy to remember that the actual institution itself was not that horrible on the inside. True there were plenty of people in white robes talking to walls, but they were also accompanied by someone in a nurse uniform, or the like, who was trying to help them express what they were trying to communicate to the stucco. It was bright and rather warm and welcoming compared to most psych wards she had seen in real life or on TV. This made Kairi happy, it meant her mother was in good hands.

Soon after they were welcomed by a rather prominent looking staff member with smart looking glasses and an even sharper suit. He was tall, getting on in years, but quite attractive in that lean bookish way. He was taller than Kairi and Heather, but not huge. He had a solid looking frame, though not overly muscular. He had a kind, clean-shaven face with thin lips and brown eyes framing a strong nose. His brown hair was peppered with the slightest bit of grey and Kairi imagined he must have looking like a Disney Prince in his hey day. Kairi couldn't help but notice his kind eyes.

"I'm Dr. Horowitz, the head of this home." He said as he reached out a hand to Kairi and Heather as they introduced themselves. "But you can call me David. Come with me."

Kairi and Heather smiled at him in their own awkward ways and followed the Doctor back to his office.

Kairi wasn't paying attention as he spouted off information and changes happening to their facility. Lots of positive adjectives, stirring imagery, giving only highly thought of connotations to everything they passed. All of their staff was full of smiles and happy eyes.

You just don't really this sort of see this thing in most mental facilities in America. They are usually permeated with sadness. So either everyone was completely high or people actually cared about their job. She was more inclined to believe the former.

They finally reached David's office, decorated sparsely but ornately. It looked old-fashioned and comfortable without being precocious or gaudy. University degrees were on the wall, without garish frames, and the doctor had a very interesting amount of books against his back wall. As Heather went to sit, discussing particulars with Dr. David, Kairi approached the bookcase and investigated further. He had books from all different eras. Classic novels in their original languages, impressive foreign texts that Kairi had only heard mentioned by professors and people who suck up to them. Kairi was a bit impressed if she were able to admit it. The man had some style.

"Ms. Aria?" David said and snapped Kairi out of her reverie. Heather was no longer an Aria.

"Yes?" Kairi smiled, trying to pretend that she wasn't obviously snooping.

"Anything of interest?" He smiled and so did Heather. They had been talking about Kairi and she hadn't even noticed. Books. Her ultimate weakness.

"I'm sorry." Kairi smiled, "Its just I really enjoy a good book collection."

David smiled brightly in his bespectacled eyes and his perfectly groomed beard, "Yes I have to admit, I'm really very proud of it."

Kairi chuckled, "Obviously." Then she looked at Heather who was staring at her like she just took off her top, "I'm sorry. I have no filter."

David smiled wide. He really was very attractive. In that sort of Lestrade way. Kairi grimaced at the thought. A deep tug in her gut, an incredible longing for the smell of tea, tobacco, old books, burnt gun powder, and England. David's smile faded.

"Are you all right?" David asked, looking concerned.

Kairi nodded, taking a deep breath, "Yes, I'm sorry. My mind was miles away."

David nodded, "Yes, well understandable." Kairi nodded, "I have to admit though that your mother has shown no signs of aggression, self harm, or even disorientation since we have transferred her. Obviously this sort of episode is not taken lightly, I believe that her mental state is starting to worsen now. It might be better for her to be in a facility that can be supportive and intuitive to her needs."

"I agree." Heather chimed in.

David nodded, "We have the capability host those who have been convicted of," He cleared his throat uncomfortably, "Violent crimes but are in dire need of support and treatment. Its our understanding that since Ms. Mewes' has no family to protest, that the D.A. will be pushing for your mother to stay here, in our secure unit."

"Right." Kairi nodded. "Well, shall we go visit her?"

David sighed, "Yes of course. I just want to inform you that your mother has been..." He paused and cleared his throat, "Rather distracted. Like I said, she hasn't shown any aggression, but she's been exceptionally silent during the past few weeks. We feel that she is at a point that she is stabilized enough, but most of the time she does not have any memories of the incident and her conversations can be disjointed and confusing."

Heather smiled sadly, "That's fine. We just want an opportunity to be with her. That's all."

David nodded. "Shall we?"

They all stood and made their way through the institution. They passed the lower level security areas where people were sitting watching TV or playing games, into the more traumatized units where people where sitting with professionally dressed associates or painting pictures monitored by therapists.

They passed into the lock down area where people were kept sequestered in individual rooms. Some doors were shut, some simply had nurses and workers milling around close by, just in case there went something amiss.

Then they reached the rooms where the criminal and unstable resided. Many people were able to get reduced sentences by being charged mentally unfit to stand for trial. Sometimes it was because they were truly detached from the world around them, and they suffered from something so debilitating, so dangerous, that it splintered their mind and created in them a disjointed recess which made them capable of harming themselves or others. Others just had very good lawyers.

Kairi's mother was dubbed as mentally unfit to stand trail. Not too long ago she would have been considered criminally insane.

Her heart twisted.

_Its no longer your mother._

_Its not her._

_Its not true._

"Here we are." David commented, "I would probably recommend that only one of you go in at a time to see if you can garner a response from her." He noticed the sisters looking uneasy. "That way we don't overwhelm her."

Kairi nodded, "You go first Heather. She always reacted best to you."

Heather smiled and made her way into her mother's room. Orderlies stood outside and David motioned for Kairi to follow him into the room next door where they could observe through one way glass to see Heather and their mother interact.

"What's your recommendation Doctor?" Kairi said absently, shoving the tears back down into their ducts while she watched Heather move closely to her mother who was sitting, staring out her barred window.

David cleared his throat again, "Well, your mother suffered a great loss a few years ago which ended up triggering her mental break down and subsequent memory loss and dimentia." He turned to Kairi who was still watching her sister and mother interact. "I simply believe that overtime, without proper stimulation and of course inherent genetic factors, her mind is deteriorating into an even further dissociative state."

Kairi looked to David now, his eyes were sad, sympathetic, "Thank you." She nodded and he looked surprised, "For being candid."

He nodded, "Its my understanding of you that you are an especially candid person. It wouldn't do anyone justice to sugar coat things or try to confuse you with psychological jargon."

Kairi smiled, "Its appreciated. I don't like people making me feel like an idiot." Sherlock's face flashed in her mind.

He smiled too, "Neither do I."

Kairi glanced up at him and noticed a gleam in his eye that wasn't there before. She chuckled to herself and remembered what Heather had said before.  _You always go for the normal ones when you aren't_ normal. Kairi shrugged off the attraction she had for her mother's shrink and sighed. She glanced up at the window into her mother's room and watched as Heather held her mother's hand, or at least tried to.

Heather was talking. Her lips moved to form the words of her beloved family, obviously giving her mother details about how their lives were unfolding. Julie was in soccer, Danni was doing piano, though lusting after the guitar, and Adam just got a promotion. Fantastic Heather and her happy life weren't enough to bring out her mother's attention. Poor, poor Heather. She was fighting against a behemoth. She had no chance at winning against such a formidable opponent: her mother's broken heart.

Heather then looked up at the orderly at the door and shrugged, tears in her eyes.

"Lets meet her in the hallway." David suggested, adjusting his impeccable suit.

Kairi nodded and allowed him to open the door for her. She felt silly, being in such a situation, almost flirting with the man in front of her while her sister was tormented and her mother was practically a vegetable. Maybe she was psychotic.

Heather was wiping her eyes as she emerged from the room. Taking a deep shaking breath as she put on a smile when confronted with Dr. David and Kairi.

"Well, your turn." Heather smiled at her sister, all false bravado with a runny nose and red eyes. They were not a family of attractive criers.

Kairi nodded and pulled her sister into a hug. She was actually surprised that the tables were turned. Kairi was the strong one now, holding her crying sister.

Kairi didn't feel strong. She felt empty.

Maybe in the end it was the same thing.

Dr. David smiled at Kairi and sort of ushered Heather into the viewing room to get comfortable. He asked a nearby nurse for some coffee and some water and then guided Heather away.

Kairi was faced with mortality, with sadness, as she stared at the closed red door. She took a step forward, halting, frozen on the spot. She wasn't sure if she could do this. Her mother, her close friend, the one who rejected her not long ago and didn't want to see her anymore was on the other side of that door. She was about to break her promise and disturb her mother. What if her mother still didn't want her? How much would it hurt to be rejected by a murderer?

She took another step and halted. It seemed like hours passing by, but the orderly opened the door for her and she realized it must have only been seconds. She seemed hesitant which was normal for a person in her situation. The daughter of a killer.

She walked into the room and was surprised at the chill she felt. She stepped closer to her mother, sitting in a chair, wearing a tattered looking robe and staring out of the window her face completely blank.

Once upon a time her mother was beautiful. A heart shaped face with almond eyes, bright as the sky. Her lips were cupid's bows and eternally pink and smiling. Her nose was what movie stars would pay thousands for. Her hair was a perfect auburn that was warm in the sunlight and even warmer during the rain. Her skin was always soft, always comforting and the way she'd hum would put even the darkest soul to rest.

Well, it had put Kairi's to rest and she had one of the darkest souls of all.

Kairi cleared her throat hesitantly, but her mother didn't move. She took a step closer, then another until she was just behind her. She reached out her hand to touch her mothers hair, but it was cold, it was starting to go grey. It made Kairi's heart hurt.

"Uhm," Kairi barely got out before another clearing of her throat, "Hello mommy."

There was a few good beats of silence. So long that Kairi actually turned to leave.

"My star?"

Kairi froze, her heart in her throat and tears brimming in her eyes. Kairi could hear the squeak of her mother's chair as she turned in it. Kairi took a deep, shuddering breath, tears slipping from her eyes. She turned around, expecting to see a broken crazy woman.

Instead she saw her mother. Her eyes were clear, her smile was pure, she was alight with her old self. It broke Kairi's heart.

"Mom?" Kairi managed to slip out between her sobs.

"Oh my star!" She said, standing and reaching out her arms and Kairi rushed into them, sobbing almost uncontrollably as her mother held her for the first time in years. All the pain and sadness, all those hours spent confused and lost, everything she doubted and hated about herself became whole and perfect in her mother's arms.

"Mommy..." Kairi managed to get out between her hiccuping sobs.

"Oh Kairi," Her mother said, stroking her hair and hugging her close, "I've missed you."

Kairi shook her head, her tears falling uncontrollably now, "I've missed you too."

"Come on." Her mother said in her usual light and joking tone, "Stand up, let me have a look at my beautiful daughter." Kairi stood, her mother still holding onto her arms and taking in a good deep look. "Oh you're lovely." Kairi sobbed. "Oh darling haven't you always known that?" She smiled.

"Mom..." Kairi started, through the tears.

"Why are you crying hun?" She asked, her hand caressing Kairi's face. Her eyes were tender, her mouth soft and caring, a slight smile, "Are you okay?"

Kairi smiled ruefully at that. All she ever wanted was her parents back. At least one of them. "Oh mom, I'm much better now."

Her mother's smile began to fade.

Kairi looked up at her and saw fear in her mother's eyes, "Mom?"

"Realta- Kairi, are you okay?" Her mother said with deepest concern.

"Rea-?" Kairi started, "Realta? From the story? Mom?" Kairi paused, looking at her mother as fear began to take over her, "Mom what's wrong?"

Her mother gripped her arms tightly, almost to the point of pain. Her mother began shaking her head, slowly at first then quite vigorously, "Are you okay? Did he hurt you?" She asked, deep with concern and shaking with panic.

Kairi shook her head, "No mom... No-," Kairi exhaled, her tears beginning to ebb and fade, "Who?"

"Did he hurt you? Murchain, did he hurt you?" She said seriously.

"Who? What?" Kairi was deeply confused, "Mom, who are you talking about?"

Her mother gripped her even tighter on her arms, cutting off circulation to her lower arms, "Did he touch you? That BASTARD!" She finally screamed.

"What?" Kairi muttered, her face blank, her heart sinking, and her chest constricting and refilling with her anxiety and depression in an instant.

There was an eruption behind her, slamming of doors and some stern voices. Her mother was gripping at her, her nails digging into Kairi's pale skin and drawing blood, and she was screaming at Kairi.

"What?" Kairi said again, her voice barely above a whisper as a coldness dripped down her arms.

Her mother was still screaming, "DID HE HURT YOU!? DID HE TOUCH YOU!? THAT FUCKING PSYCHO!"

At that moment, her mother was ripped from Kairi's arms, still screaming. Kairi backed up slowly, her back hit the frozen, stone wall. She felt herself sinking, tears streaming down her cheeks. The disappointment, the pain that she felt causing her mother to ultimately break again, causing her mother to fall deeper into psychosis. It was her fault.

It was  _all_  her fault.

She crumbled into the wall, sobbing uncontrollably while she watched her mother be physically subdued by two orderlies. She was still screaming, asking who had hurt Kairi, who had touched her, who had harmed her. Kairi felt like screaming but all she could do was cry and cry as these men lifted her mother off of the ground. They pinned her to the bed, as she screamed and spat at them, staring at Kairi with utmost rage and fear.

Kairi put a hand to her mouth to keep in the horror she was feeling. To keep in her screams, begging the nurses to stop what they were doing to her mother. She tried to stand, tried to get her legs underneath her, to get some strength to fight back, but she had none. She only had fear and sadness.

Dr. David came rushing in a moment later and Kairi tried to scream at him. He brandished a needle full of some abhorrent clear liquid, but her desperate plea to stop him only came out as another sob.

Kairi took in a deep breath, to try to scream, to try to speak, to try to reach out to her mother who was still screaming. She heard voices around her, people clamoring for control. She tried to do something and she eventually got her feet under her and raised herself back up. Another breath and she looked down at her arms, covered in her own blood produced by the nails of her mother.

She choked back a sob and was able to navigate her way across the wall, her back guiding her as she watched her mom scream and scream and then suddenly go slack, her eyes still full of fear. She practically fell backwards through the door and was caught by someone. She turned herself into them, her eyes closed tightly and sobs ripping from her lungs, her sister, an orderly, she didn't care as she let her sobs take over.

When she finally came up for a breath, a familiar scent filled her nostrils.

Cigarettes.

Old, musty books.

The slightest hint of mint and gunpowder.

She looked up into the clearest eyes she may ever see.

With a heavy voice, tainted by despair, Kairi managed to get out, "Sherlock?"


	15. -15-

"Are you all right?" Sherlock asked, his hands were on her back, holding her rather closely, protectively.

Kairi stared up at him, completely dumbfounded. The utter realization that she was hallucinating Sherlock Holmes after she just witnessed her mother's breakdown only solidified that she belonged in the institution surrounding her. Her hands were against his chest, pressing up against the soft material of his black suit. She fingered the clothing for a moment, trying to process what was actually happening. It was all too much. Especially when she realized that Sherlock, was in fact, real.

Kairi pushed him away, wiping at her eyes angrily, "Why are you even here?" She growled smoothing out her clothing.

"I came -," Sherlock paused for a moment, seeming to go blank on what he was about to say as he stared at her almost sheepishly. He cleared his throat and started over, "I came to offer my assistance." He held out a small white towel.

Kairi glared at him a little more vehemently, more angry at herself for the happiness she felt that Sherlock was there with her. She pulled the towel from his hands harshly and began to wipe away the blood that was staining her arms. She was dabbing at the small crescent-shaped wounds in her arms when Lestrade and John came running around the corner. They barely stopped behind Sherlock with enough space to keep from knocking him down. Kairi stared at all three men, mouth agape and was speechless. They were here. They were going to help her.

Someone cleared their throat behind Kairi and she turned, eyeing her sister who was standing there with red, leaking eyes and a quizzical look to hide her sadness

"Kairi," Heather said apprehensively, "What is happening?"

Kairi was still relatively speechless. The commotion behind her, leading into the room that once contained a semblance her mother had died down. The orderlies made their way out after restraining Kairi's mom and Dr. David followed shortly after checking all of her vitals.

Everyone was standing in silence staring at each other with the most confused looks on their faces as David pulled the door shut with a loud click - well, everyone except Sherlock who was simply staring at Kairi. She glared at him again just for good measure. She was supposed to be mad at him.

"Ah, Inspector Lestrade," David said, once he had finished writing down some figures on a chart. He handed it to a nearby nurse. Kairi turned to look at him and then back at Lestrade who shuffled nervously, "Dr. Watson and Mr. Holmes, I didn't expect you to be back today." Kairi outright glared at John and Sherlock, who chose to avoid her stares.

"Be back?" Kairi muttered, angry and confused. "As in  _again_?" She looked at John who had a sort of sheen to his eyes that you'd see from a deer staring into oncoming traffic.

"Yes Doctor, we had a few more questions we wanted to ask you, though it seems that we've come at a bad time." Lestrade finished, looking unbearably uncomfortable.

"Bad time!?" Kairi squeaked out. Sherlock seemed to smirk at her playfully and she shot him a look that practically burned with hatred.

"Right," David said walking up to stand next to Kairi who was now seething, "Well, Kairi and Heather, this is an investigative unit from Scotland Yard, it seems their case has some information that might pertain to your mother's." He brought out a handkerchief and began to help Kairi clean off her arms, "Are you all right? Do you want me to get a nurse?" Kairi just shook her head.

"Oh." Heather looked at all the men again.

"Yes, I know." Kairi sighed, slowly getting her rage under control. "What in the hell are you guys doing here? You're supposed to be thousands of miles away!"

"Erm, yeah." John muttered, clearly not intending to go anywhere with that statement.

"You know these men?" David asked, plainly shocked, looking at Kairi.

Kairi sighed, already exhausted by Sherlock's mere presence. How did that happen so quickly? Had she really been lulled into a sense of safety since she'd been gone? Why was his being there so utterly draining?

"Yes," She looked at David, exasperated, she continued, "I'm the other case."

David's eyes widened, "Oh! You-,"

"Yep." She nodded, glancing sheepishly at her sister and the psychiatrist. Sherlock's lip twitched ever so slightly.

Her eyes caught Sherlock's again and they seemed alive, mischievous. She wanted to punch him. It was infuriating how violent he made her. "With the f-," Kairi started to growl at him until her sister interrupted.

"Yuueeaack!" Heather muttered, a full body shiver wracked her. "Sorry," She muttered distastefully. "Spiders" She finished with unease.

Kairi sighed, the tension dissolved, and chuckled at her sister's mild response compared to when Kairi originally recounted the story, "Yeah, those."

"Well then..." David began and looked back at Sherlock, John, and Lestrade expectantly. "Should we all discuss the case together?" He looked at Kairi expectantly.

Kairi nodded, but looked at her sister, who's eyes were wide and she looked a little pale, "Heather, do you need to get home, and uh," Kairi was at a loss for excuses, "Maybe get ready for the girls' practice?"

Heather looked at her sister gratefully. She wasn't made for dead bodies and spiders and murder. Heather was made to be a warrior of motherhood. "Sure." She snapped out of her reverie, jabbing her shaking hands into her pockets, "You have a ride?"

Kairi looked over to a smiling Lestrade, eyes begging for forgiveness, John who nodded almost officially, and Sherlock who was still ever so slightly smirking at her. She turned back to Heather, smiling, "Yes, I'll be fine. I will text you when I'm on my way home."

Heather nodded walking up to her sister, "Okay. I think I'm going to go home and have a glass of wine." She wrapped her arms around Kairi and held her close, "You owe me an explanation. Without all of the gruesome details, okay?"

Kairi smiled and hugged Heather back, "If it were only that easy."

"Everything is going to be ok." Heather whispered.

"I promise." Kairi responded her eyes closing tightly to fight back the tears. Their lives would never, ever be the same.

Heather pulled back from her sister and they shared an awkward but loving glance at each other. Once they let go of each other they were back to saving face, wiping their eyes, clearing their throats and adjusting themselves. Heather smiled gently and turned towards the men her sister knew.

"Gentlemen, if you need anything, our house isn't very far. I'll get some snacks and food ready for later when you drop her off." She jabbed at Kairi a bit.

"Oh, that's not really-," Kairi, wide eyed, tried to intercept before her sister dove head first into insanity like she had.

"It would be a pleasure and most appreciated." Sherlock responded quickly, ignoring Kairi's persistent and scathing glare.

Kairi took a second to watch Sherlock, his eyes light and his smile rather genuine. She saw how quickly his eyes were assessing Heather, photo snap shots of all pertinent information being stored away. "Alright, alright," Kairi interrupted and guided Heather away momentarily, muttering something to her and glancing over her shoulder at the men, now including Doctor David.

Heather walked off with Sherlock still assessing her attentively, gaining interesting factors about her and Kairi and their lives together. They'd been living in close proximity, but that made sense, due to the nature of Kairi's visit. It seemed like death had split them apart and now death would be pulling them back together. Heather was strong, self-assured, very in control. Kairi was not out of control, however, she had bounding insecurities, that Sherlock couldn't quite understand. Both were beautiful and intelligent, Heather being more boisterous of the two - inviting these strange foreigners into her home without preamble. Interesting.

When Kairi had rejoined their group, David spoke, inviting them to join him in his office. He turned, with Watson and Lestrade following, and walked down the hall. Sherlock began to follow suit but Kairi reached out in a flash and poked him in the gut. He let out a huff of air as she hissed at him, "Quit it!"

He glared at her, the corners of his mouth turned down in annoyance, rubbing at his side, "Quit what?"

Kairi rolled her eyes at his feigned innocence, "Quit dissecting my family. Its-," She looked him up and down, waving her arms about frantically, "Indecent!"

He smiled at her, a genuine grin, reaching his eyes and beaming on his face. He took her arm gingerly and inspected the small cuts,"Are you all right?" Kairi just nodded and Sherlock pulled her gently and began walking with her down the hall. Kairi felt a little chuckle rise in her throat but she tried to quash it. She was supposed to be furious with him, but it didn't matter. Sherlock Holmes was infectious in the greatest and worst of ways. She had missed him, dearly she just realized. The tornado, clad in black wool and smelling of old books and peppermint. It was thrilling, his hand on her arm, his body near hers again, but it was also disappointing. David was saying something to Lestrade and to John and Kairi was pretty sure Sherlock was also catching the conversation, but she was to busy trying to use her peripheral vision to look at him.

He still seemed perfect, prim and proper, and dressed to the nines in his lovely, tailored suit. She risked a glance at him and realized the slight creases in the corners of his eyes, the darkened skin beneath them; he looked tired, more gaunt than usual. He probably hadn't been eating, obsessing over this case. He snuck a look at her and they shared an awkward moment, walking briskly down the brightly lit passage, both pretending to be looking straight ahead. Sherlock promptly withdrew his hand and Kairi couldn't help but pout slightly.

David guided the group back to the office and invited them to sit. Lestrade and John offered their seats to Kairi, but she refused, she felt like standing after what just happened with her mother. Her insides felt like molten lava swishing around her gut. She was uneasy and anxious, thinking about what was happening. She tried to catalog her thoughts.

First, she received a letter.

Second, she was attacked.

Third, her mother murders a black widow.

Fourth, her mother attacks her and starts screaming about someone hurting Kairi.

Fifth, what the actual fuck was happening?

David came to stand by her as he addressed them, he placed a comforting hand in the middle of Kairi's back and she was surprised how at ease she suddenly felt.

Sherlock noticed the Doctor scooting towards Kairi as well. He watched as the man leaned into her, subtly, and placed a hand at the middle of her back. It wasn't high enough to seem pedantic nor low enough to seem lecherous. He was comforting Kairi and Sherlock could see the moment her body instantly destressed at the good Doctor's touch. He narrowed his eyes at the gesture, a flash of something crossed his mind but he quickly dismissed it.

"Now this is an incredibly delicate situation." David said, slowly removing his hand from Kairi's back and walking to stand in front of the assembled group.

Sherlock stepped closer to her, tempted to place his hand on her like David did, to see if she would be calm for him, but he refrained.

David continued, "What we know from the two cases is connected by a single focal point and that's Kairi."

Sherlock watched her stiffen and his hand twitched to reach out to her, but he stopped himself again.

"First the note from her mother, which we all believe to be nonsensical. The oddest factor being that she would send her daughter a letter in the first place. Though Heather visited frequently," David said and noticed Kairi's eyes die a little bit from those words, no doubt from guilt, "While Kairi was working abroad doing important work with Scotland yard," He tried to stress to her and everyone in the room, but she just seemed to smirk ruefully at that, "Kairi's mother had never sent any mail during that time nor did she use the internet - ever actually, if I recall - from the first time she arrived here suffering from early onset Alzheimer's and dementia."

Sherlock piped up, "Has she received any post? Any new visitors or any other patients taking an interest in her?"

David frowned, "The only post she received was from Heather when she couldn't make it in for a while. Heather usually called to let us know these items would be coming. Photos, drawings, and the like from the grand kids. Updates on her life and Kairi's if she had any." He glanced at Kairi and tried to smile reassuringly, "She was relatively social with other patients, she was kind to them, always, even the, er, victim. The staff loved her and she was always pretty full of smiles." Kairi nodded at David then, silently thanking him for not proposing that her mother was in fact a monster, hiding from the world.

"Any new staff?" John piped up.

David shook his head, "No, we have a pretty lengthy application process. We usually only take in those who are highly recommended by surrounding schools and centers, full background check, finger printing - the works. I believe my newest employee, who is actually involved in patient life, has been here for just under a year."

Kairi kept quiet. More and more it seemed that her mother finally broke. Though she seemed unattached, albeit in good spirits, Kairi must assume the loss of her father affected her so greatly, her mind began eating away at itself, and had caused her to snap. For some reason, her mother wanted to take it out on Kairi, for some reason, she wanted for Kairi to suffer. Kairi's heart began beating relentlessly in her chest, she felt her breathing become haggard, a sob choking in her throat. She felt someone take her hand and glanced at the Doctor who had one arm across his chest, tucked under the opposite arm bent to hold his fingers to his chin in deep thought. It took her a second to realize that it was her other hand that was squeezed reassuringly and it was done so by Sherlock Holmes.

The conversation continued around them as Sherlock glanced at her, a kinder, less patronizing tip to his mouth as he squeezed her hand and a tear dropped from her eye, soundless and unnoticed by the people surrounding her.

But Sherlock Holmes had noticed and it warmed her heart.

"Kairi," Lestrade intoned and Sherlock and Kairi let go of each other without the others noticing, "Anyone you can think of have a gripe against your family?"

Kairi tried to think. She honestly did. "I don't think so." She paused and glanced to David, "I don't have many memories from childhood though. Anything prior to maybe 10 or 12 years old, is a complete blur."

David frowned at her, "No memories whatsoever?"

Kairi shrugged, "Not really. Maybe snippets here and there, but its more of a thought or an idea than a concrete memory. My dad taught me how to throw a ball, I know that, but I don't remember doing it. My mother taught me how to bake cookies," Her throat tightened, but she continued when she felt Sherlock minutely move closer, more than likely in his own way to comfort her, "But I don't remember what kind of cookies, the smell, the color of the pan..." She looked down at her feet for a moment and then she felt it, his hand on her lower back, intimate, caring for the android and she leaned into it a bit, "I honestly don't know why and it never bothered me until now." She finished with resolve, though everyone could hear the sadness in her voice.

"It might be wise if we could meet up, somewhere you're comfortable and discuss the possibility of why that's the case Kairi." David concluded.

She sniffled, "But why is that important?"

Lestrade added, "Perhaps we should talk to Heather, see if she can recall anything?"

Kairi looked at him and shook her head, "She doesn't need to be a part of this. She has too much to lose. I don't want her getting caught in this shitstorm. Whoever this is wants me, I plan to keep it that way." She intoned in finality.

Lestrade looked ashamed and nodded, "Right, of course." Kairi felt guilty, but she wouldn't let whatever this darkness was harm her sister anymore than it already had.

"I'd be happy to sit with you David and try to bring something up, if it helps the case." Kairi nodded and David smiled at her genuinely. She felt Sherlock's hand on her back twitch slightly. She glanced up at him and his face was impassive except for a slight narrowing of the eyes in David's direction.

"Here is my card," He said, reaching into his pocket, "Give me a day or so in advance to schedule something."

"I will." She nodded to him and took the card. "Thank you."

"My pleasure." David responded in kind, a crinkle to his eyes. "I know you've been through a lot and I want to help."

Kairi responded only with a smile.

"Now Kairi," Lestrade cleared his throat, "We need to discuss some more technical aspects of the case at this point. Would you prefer to sit in?"

She shrugged, "I've seen the pictures, I know what she did."

Lestrade stood, "Very well then. I know this murder case is from the states, but thank you David for being so forthcoming with information. Kairi is a friend to Scotland Yard and we want to keep her safe. Her mother has harmed another person in order to get a message across and we would like it if you might be able to ascertain a connection."

Sherlock glared at David again, wondering how this man could possibly glean some information about the case that he had missed.

"Well, Kairi's mother-," David started.

"Deanna." Kairi interjected.

"Deanna then, was very distraught when we found her and the victim. From the crime scene photos of the murder scene, and of Deanna, you could see there wasn't much of a struggle, but it was incredibly," He paused and glanced at Kairi, "Messy."

"Right. I know the officers asked you a lot of questions about it, but did they have any issues with each other?" Lestrade continued.

David shook his head, "No, not that anyone was aware of. Deanna was a very amicable patient, like I've said, very well liked by staff and other patients."

"Nothing precluded this attack then?" John asked again.

David shrugged, "It honestly came out of no where."

Everyone sat in silence for a few moments, trying to think, trying to formulate the connections.

Why would a elderly woman suffering from non-violent psychological condition suddenly snap and viciously attack another patient? Why would she be suddenly inspired to write to her daughter and how did she get Kairi's address in the first place? The person who decided to attack Kairi in her home was somehow linked to Kairi and Deanna. Kairi had something that this person wanted and he was using Deanna to ultimately scare it out of her. From what most of them knew, Kairi had no items of importance, no excess money though she was starting to make some working for Mycroft. Mycroft could be a connection, but from what Sherlock knew of her position in her brother's shady company, Kairi was not dealing with any sort of top-secret information that could actually destroy any related government.

What Sherlock feared the most was that these attacks were personal. He was afraid that whoever this person was, wanted Kairi. It scared him even more that he couldn't figure out what they wanted her for. It took every ounce of self-control he had, which wasn't much, to not grasp the cloth covering her lower back and pull her closer. As much as he denied it, he did not enjoy the last month without her presence in his life.

Lestrade frowned. "Right, well, I guess we should be off." He looked over at Kairi who seemed to be swaying where she stood. He finally noticed Sherlock's arm around her in a subtle protective way. He tried not to grin. "I think we all need a bit of rest."

John stood with Lestrade and they both walked to David and exchanged some words and contact information while shaking hands. Sherlock stood with Kairi who seemed to be staring off into space, her exhaustion finally winning over. The day was barely half done.

"Honestly Kairi, if you need anything, don't hesitate to call." David smiled, taking her hand in both of his and squeezing reassuringly.

"Thank you David. I'll call tomorrow. Hopefully, I can get some rest today." She replied.

Sherlock nodded to Lestrade and to John who began to guide Kairi out of the room. Sherlock hesitated for a moment and glared at David ever so slightly.

"Thank you Mr. Holmes." David said reaching out a hand and Sherlock grasped it.

"I'd like to speak with her." Sherlock replied in his most serious tone.

David looked confused for a moment, "With who?"

Sherlock grinned slightly, "Deanna."

 


	16. -16-

Lestrade, Watson, Sherlock, and Kairi arrived back at Heather's nice suburban home. It was brisk outside, but it was California brisk, so to people who actually knew what seasons were, it was really only about 65 degrees F - practically shorts weather for the native Londoners. Lestrade had a crimson button down shirt on, rolled up at the elbows with a pair of jeans adorning his legs. Kairi thought he looked like he just walked out of the sexiest J. Crew add she had ever seen. Watson wasn't wearing one of his signature jumpers, which sort of made Kairi sad in a way, but he was wearing a simple, deep grey, unbuttoned cardigan over a blue and white striped polo shirt, a pair of brown Dockers-type pants below them. Kairi decided he had come from Old Navy or maybe The Gap if John felt fancy. Then of course there was Sherlock. Sherlock always wore the same perfectly tailored suit. She would love to see him try to wear it in Santa Ana during September. He would probably disintegrate.

Heather welcomed them into her home and brought them into the kitchen where she had set out a plate of sandwiches, some vegetables, some bottles of water and a pitcher of Iced Tea - it was the closest she'd get to being English.

J. Crew, The Gap, Men's Warehouse, and now Martha Stewart. Kairi looked down at herself, in a paisley patterned top in neutral tones and a pair of somewhat tattered skinny jeans and flip flops. It clearly embodied "Thrift shop" but she couldn't really be bothered enough to care. She was wearing flip flops again. She desperately missed flip flops in dreary ol'London town.

As they sat around the table, John and Lestrade instantly started chatting up Heather and engaging her in friendly conversation about their homes. No one really wanted to bring memories of the murder or this morning up again. They all wanted to sort of just fall into everyday interaction. Sherlock was watching Heather interact with them, noticing how she was all smiles. Only the tiny twitch in her cheek and the crease around her eyes indicated that she was faking these emotions in order to appear strong. He took a moment to glance at Kairi, who was leaning on the counter, Lestrade between them. She was looking up at him, smiling sweetly and chuckling at the tales of their exploits in Scotland Yard. Sherlock felt slightly agitated at the way she looked at Lestrade, but he kept his mouth shut. He took a moment and stepped around Lestrade, trying not to distract the animated story telling and put a hand at the base of Kairi's back. She straightened and turned, smiling at Sherlock with that genuine brightness she always seemed to muster up.

"Would you mind if we stepped outside?" Sherlock said quietly and Kairi nodded eagerly.

Kairi had been dying for a cigarette after leaving her mother's residence but didn't want to delay them getting the hell out of that place any longer. She would have smoked in the car, but it was Lestrade's rental and well, the man was strict. She stepped outside with Sherlock and pulled a sweater over her ensemble. Sherlock followed her to the side of the house with the least important windows to an area that was also shielded from the neighbors' prying views. She reached into the sweater's pockets to pull out her pack but Sherlock stopped her with a hand on her shoulder. Kairi turned, facing him finally and smiled. He had bought her a pack of cigarettes. She just chuckled.

"Thanks Sherlock." She smiled at him and placed them in her pockets. With Sherlock and Heather both smoking, Kairi would run out of cigarettes in a few minutes.

"I figure its the least I could do since I have taken so many of yours." He also took the time to pull out something from his pocket and hand it to her, "I know you have your father's cigarette case, but I found this in an antique shop and thought you may like it."

Kairi waited and held out her hand as Sherlock placed the lighter into her palm gingerly and Kairi placed the unlit cigarette between her lips and decided to check out his gift. The fact that he bought her something was incredibly shocking. She would have been surprised enough to faint just from the pack of cigarettes.

Upon further inspection, Kairi was left breathless. It was a very simple Zippo shaped lighter with a top that flipped open and a wheeled flint with a wick that disappeared into a refillable canister on the bottom. It fit into her palm perfectly and the sides were slightly more rounded than a normal zippo - it was rather oblong. However, the shape didn't just make it unique, but the entire encasing. The lighter itself was made from some sort of luminescent stone, almost like an opal, with ornate carvings shaped like classic looking locks with old fashioned key holes. Surrounding the opal, along the lines of the lighter, like its curved edges and where it opened and closed, was a border in a sort of bronze looking metal that had very delicate curved and twirled accents. It was probably the most beautiful thing she would ever own.

"Jesus Sherlock, this is gorgeous!" She said excitedly as the cigarette fell from her lips. She tried to trap it against her chest awkwardly since she refused to let go of the lighter. "You found this and you thought of me?"

Sherlock cleared his throat, "I was investigating in an antique shop in London and it, eh," He glanced at her, almost looking nervous, but trying to look bored, "Yes, it caught my eye." He shifted a bit and hardened his eyes, "I've noticed your affection towards antiquated and venerable looking items."

Kairi threw her arms around him in a flash which shocked Sherlock so greatly he actually faltered a little bit, "Quit trying to ruin it you prick." She muttered into his neck.

Sherlock felt his lip twitch slightly and his heart seemed to beat a little faster than before as he wrapped his arms around her waist and held her, "Well it sounds as if you've become accustomed to American vernacular once again." He murmured into her ear, inhaling gently to take in the scent of her neck and hair - vanilla, cigarettes, and a bit of citrus - and yet not alert her to his actions, "I thought it could be a token of my sincerest apologies for how I acted the last time we had seen each other." He hazarded to hold her just a little tighter, resting his head against hers gently.

Kairi breathed him in deeply and then sighed. She pulled back from him, taking a slow step back and gave him a tilted smile, "Well it's a start."

Sherlock rose an eyebrow as Kairi handed him her old cigarette case and old lighter, "A start?" He pulled a cigarette out and lit it up ceremoniously, inhaling the vile smog into his lungs.

Kairi smiled, "Well my entire home was ruined by spiders."

Sherlock chuckled at that, "Yes, and if I recall, I saved you from that."

Kairi scrunched up her face in distaste, "Yea and you got a kiss out of it! Don't pretend to be this big martyr." She said with grandiose sarcasm and then smiled at him.

"Right. I shall not let myself get a big head from it." He nodded to her and she stared at him in disbelief.

"You!? Big headed!?" She sounded shocked, actually appalled, "NEVER!"

She took a long drag from her cigarette and Sherlock stared at her from narrowed, untrusting eyes, "You are attempting to be sarcastic."

"No shit Sherlock." She chuckled.

He tried to lace his voice with venom, but Kairi could see the small smile and a bit of a twinkle in his eye, "That is most unbecoming." Kairi rolled her eyes at him and made a rude gesture with her hand.

Kairi glanced around the large back yard, manicured to perfection in the perfect suburbia. There was an awning, a barbeque, a large section of concrete complemented by a very expansive plot of grass that had a trampoline in the corner, netted in to ensure no small limbs of adolescents went flying in dangerous directions. It was lined by small shrubs and different sorts of bushes with various flowers. She knew Heather and Adam both enjoyed the sort of mundane housekeeping required to keep an area like this. It required a lot of dedication to mow lawns and trim shrubs and water plants. Kairi had her hands full with Appa and even then, she was pretty sure if she stopped feeding him he'd go an hunt his own food. Which would be terrifying for London.

Sherlock was gazing at her, his lips curled around the cigarette and breathing it in while his eyes assessed her instead of their surroundings. His eyes were narrowed against the smoke rising from the end of his cigarette, but still attentive. Kairi tried not to stare at him. For some reason, the gentle act of his lips around the filter, the slant of his eyes as he inhaled and exhaled slowly, and the smoke creeping up and kissing the angles of his face, sent drastic tingles up her spine...among other places.

When they finished, eyeing each other appreciatively, Kairi and Sherlock walked back to the house in silence, Kairi further investigated the lighter she received from Sherlock and was absolutely smitten with it. As they approached the door, Lestrade was coming out to meet them and he nodded to Sherlock who continued inside.

Lestrade waited for the door to close as Kairi shucked off her jacket and then he turned to Kairi and placed his hands on her bare shoulders, "How are you doing love?"

Kairi smiled and maybe blushed a little bit, the pads of Lestrade's' thumbs making small, comforting circles on her skin, soothing the irritated cuts from her mother's nails, "I'm as all right as can be expected. I just really don't understand any of it."

Lestrade put on his thinking face and nodded, "I know. I'm so sorry you're stuck in the middle of all this. I know its hard to talk about, I'm just worried. I don't want you to feel...alone in this."

Kairi thought about that for a minute. She'd always felt pretty alone, especially after her father died. She had no incredibly close friends - well, excluding present company and Molly - she wasn't direly close to her sister, though she loved her greatly. Kairi felt perturbed. "I've always felt alone Lestrade, at least, until recently. As tragic as all this shit is, I'm happy to have met you all." She smiled and Lestrade looked expectant, "Yes, even Sherlock." She admitted begrudgingly.

He gave her a saucy look, "Would you say especially Sherlock?"

Kairi blushed furiously and like a child caught in a lie she scoffed loudly and protested, "Uh, no." She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, "Maybe especially Molly, since we have, you know...girly parts and stuff." She felt like an idiot and Lestrade just laughed at her.

He pulled her close for a tight hug and Kairi wrapped her arms around him and squeezed. He was always so comforting to her. He pulled back and placed a hand on her cheek, gently and caring and smiled, "We take care of our own. This will be OK and we'll catch the bastard." He nodded solemnly and leaned in, kissing her forehead gently.

"Thanks." Kairi said as a warmth spread through her and she felt home.

"You're welcome." He smiled and stepped back, "Now come inside," He grabbed her hand and pulled her, "Heather tells me you haven't eaten."

Kairi smirked, "You like Heather don't you? You better be careful, Adam may not look it, but he'd probably bathe in the blood of anyone foolish enough to hit on his beloved wife and mother of his children."

Lestrade chuckled, "So he's a good husband?"

Kairi nodded, "The best."

He held the door open for her, "Damn... I just cant catch a break here." He winked at he and she smiled.

They walked towards the group gathered around Heather's counter where John and Heather were snacking and Sherlock fingered a sandwich while Heather asked him a bunch of questions about what he does.

He smirked and with an elaborate explanation planned covering what he'd deduced about her in the past few hours, but when he opened him mouth he was interrupted.

"Don't you dare dissect my sister!" Kairi growled at him in a playful way.

Sherlock rose an amused eyebrow, "Well I've already done it for all of you," He spat a little acidly, "Who am I supposed to deduce?"

Just a moment later there was a loud crashing sound coming from the front door as two bubbly young girls came running into the kitchen shouting for their mother and slid to a stop with Appa at their side. He must have been waiting down at the bus stop, since Kairi hadn't seen him, but once he saw her he came bounding over and rubbed up against her, mewling for attention. Kairi patted him gingerly and he went off to say hello to Lestrade and John and Appa even poked Sherlock tentatively in the leg.

"Dog." He nodded and Appa seemed pleased and walked back over to the girls who were still frozen in confusion.

"Uh, mom?" Julie asked, staring at all of the men suddenly in her home. The friendly looking one with grey hair, the terse looking blonde short guy, and then the tall one dressed in black that looked like an alien.

"These are Auntie Kairi's friends. They're from London as well." Heather smiled.

"Do they talk funny?" Danni asked, just like any elementary school child would.

"Oi, we think you talk funny." Lestrade said with an exaggerated accent, Danni giggled and everyone else couldn't keep the smile from their faces. Even the too cool for school Julie grinned slightly.

"Well," Sherlock said turning to Kairi, "If I'm not allowed to deduce your sister..." He turned to Heather and rose an eyebrow.

Heather smiled widely and mischievously, "Julie and Danni wanna see a trick?"

"Heather!" Kairi hissed at her sister.

Heather responded in a harsh whisper, "They torture me constantly! Please! One day you'll have kids and you'll get to make them suffer, lovingly, at your hands."

Kairi rolled her eyes and glared at an expectant, but coy Sherlock, "Whatever, its your grave."

"Very well," He turned on his heel and faced both girls and began looking at them with his frantic eyes.

"What are you doing?" Julie questioned, utterly confused and horrified that she had to spend time with adults.

"Don't move and don't say anything!" Heather added, smiling.

Danni looked at him as any child would, with utter confusion tinged with slight disgust, "Is he having a seizure?"

John sputtered at that and choked a bit on his tea.

"Sh!" Sherlock commanded John, but he just rolled his eyes. Sherlock finished assessing the young girls, took a deep breath and with the exhale you began, "Julie is 7 years old but she was born prematurely, via c section. She's currently learning third grade coursework, though for her age she should be in 2nd, however she is on an accelerated plan. She enjoys playing sports and excels at hand-foot coordination, though she secretly wants to try cheer leading, she's afraid to ask her mum because she's not much for girly things. She had a tuna salad sandwich for lunch, barbecue crisps, and a grape soda. She's also been holding hands with a boy for approximately three weeks."

"WHAT!?" Heather gasped.

"MOOOOOOOM!" Julie screeched horrified.

Sherlock didn't miss a beat, "Danni is 5 years old and in kindergarten. She likes art and letters but not numbers. She was born via VBAC, on time though. She plays piano and shows great aptitude for it, but one day wants to play guitar because she wants to be a rock star. She had Cheese puffs for lunch and chocolate pudding most likely because she somehow convinced someone to trade her for her sandwich and crisps. She punched a boy, probably yesterday, most likely because he purposefully scuffed her relatively new shoes."

Everyone was silent for a moment while Sherlock re-cataloged the information he assessed and then disposed of it. He turned to look at everyone behind him who were trying to hide their smiles and their chuckles from the girls who looked absolutely horrified. He turned back to the girls, Julie was staring at him in open mouthed horror and Danni was wide eyed.

"Oh my god. He's a wizard!" Danni hoarsely whispered to Julie, yanking on her arm.

Sherlock glared at her slightly, raising an eyebrow as he placed his hands behind his back.

"See," She lowered her voice, "He does that thing like Snape."

Sherlock frowned, "Who is 'Snape'?" He looked back to Kairi and Heather.

That's when Kairi just lost it and started laughing hysterically, using the counter as support so she didn't fall and bust her head open.

"Oh my god, you don't know who Snape is?" Julie sounded truly affronted, Kairi was still cackling. "I'm going to my room until this guy becomes capable of civilized discussion"

"Yeah, Snape was the bravest wizard who ever lived!" Danni stomped her foot and stormed off after her sister. Appa followed them joyously to their room.

Sherlock watched them walk away, honestly confused, "Wizards aren't real."

Sherlock returned to the institution for mental health the next day after a night spent barbecuing and socializing with Kairi's family. The children stared at him like he was some sort of mind reading alien, which is actually a tamer response than most. Adam and Heather were truly fascinated by his deductions and wanted to learn how to be better observers in everyday life. Probably in order to be more devious parents. Because they were so adored by Kairi, he instructed them in a few minute measures to sharpen their abilities, but in the end they laughed it off and said it was better suited for a genius like himself. Sherlock had to admit it felt a bit nice to be called a genius, it reminded him of how John reacted the first time he had walked John through one of his processes.

Adam was a decent man who openly showed affection for his wife and children. He also could barbecue a mean hamburger that even Sherlock deigned to nibble on. He watched Heather and Adam interact, how they subconsciously gravitated towards each other, almost always touching if they were close enough. They showed deep affection in their eyes, obvious traits of people actually devoted and in love.

He watched Kairi during their interactions and he could see just how much she cared for her broken family unit. Before the girls went to bed, they openly mocked Sherlock by doing fake deductions (after Kairi explained what it was he did and that he was not, in fact, a wizard) of the party goers, even in a horrible British accent. Danni tried to deduce him and she tried to make it ridiculous as possible, mentioning his secret desire to own a unicorn and dance ballet. Everyone laughed at each other. It felt like a community, and dare he say it, almost like a family. It felt oddly comforting to be appreciated in that manner.

This morning he was intending to talk to Deanne Aria, try to weasel some sort of information or glean some significant clue as to who had convinced her to murder a woman in cold blood. He also wanted to ascertain why they were trying to allude to a rather strange attack on her daughter thousands of miles away. He had awoken early after a fitful night of sleep full of dreams entertaining ideas of affection, hoping to trick John and Lestrade into not caring about where he went. He decided to get a cab to the hospital since he didn't technically drive. When he arrived he tossed his cash at the driver, not paying attention to whatever bills were leaving his hands and purposefully got out of the cab and strode towards the institution.

He met with David who was hesitant about the interview to say the least, but Sherlock was able to convince him, albeit a tad aggressively, that now it was possibly Kairi's life that was in mortal danger.

He resented the fact that he let his emotions rule him for that tiny moment, but in the end this case infuriated and fascinated him almost as much as Moriarty had. It was an all around odd case that he somehow got swept into and yet he trudged ahead without looking back. In the end, most of his involvement in cases ended up that way. Sherlock Holmes fighting against the clock, fighting against the loss of life. This time, he couldn't shake the fact that the life on the line meant something to him. Another reason why he felt a prickling sense of fear in the back of his mind. Moriarty went after the ones he loved once. Aside from his death, which Sherlock realized that though improbable, it could be a sham, what would stop him from doing it again?

David was leading a silent Sherlock to Deanna's room. "I'm really not sure about this. Don't you think Kairi and Heather should be informed?"

Sherlock hesitated a moment, understanding just how upset she might become at him after he had just recently gotten himself out of trouble with the aforementioned daughter, "I'm part of the investigation Doctor," He said level, "The fact is, its my job to protect Kairi," It really wasn't, "I am one of the few people who would be able to make a break through in this case - especially if Kairi can't recall her memories. I need to speak with her mother to see if there is a way for me to perform my duty to its fullest extent." He finished, believing that he made himself sound as official ass possible.

David frowned as they reached Deanna's room, "You know she's very special."

Sherlock nodded, "I know. Its why I must do this."

David sighed and nodded and brought out his large key chain to unlock the door, "I hope you understand that I need to observe your interview. I will step in at any point where I believe Deanna becomes unstable." Sherlock nodded without a verbal reply and entered the room behind David. "Deanna, I know you're tired but you have another visitor today."

She turned around with a vapid smile and kind, but empty eyes, "I do?"

David was excited to see her respond, "Yes, his name is Sherlock Holmes and he'd like to ask you a few questions"

Deanna looked disturbed for a moment, "Have I done something? Am I in trouble?"

David sighed, "He just needs to ask you a few questions. That's all."

She still seemed unsure, but nodded, "I'll help if I can."

"Thank you, I'll just be outside if you need anything." David smiled and then he turned to leave, but Sherlock grabbed his arm.

"She doesn't recall the murder or the events of yesterday?" He felt like this factor would greatly deter any possibility he had for trying to gain information.

David looked down, unsure, "I think its important to stay away from those topics directly if you want some relevant information. It may cause her to degrade further and pull away."

Sherlock nodded and turned to meet Deanna's eyes. They were the same eyes that Kairi had. Large and almond shaped, the color of the sky on a clear California day. "Hello Deanna."

"Oh that voice!" She chuckled, "You must be popular with the ladies. Come over and have a seat, I don't bite."

Sherlock smiled and he had a faint recollection of Mrs. Hudson saying something similar to him the first time they met. "Thank you. I've come to ask you a few questions about your last few months here."

"Is this like a survey?"

Sherlock shrugged, "Of sorts." Deanna nodded, "Mostly I'd like to ask you about any issues you may have with other patients and perhaps some of the crew."

Her eyes grew a little wide at that, "Well its all been very nice really. I have a few friends. The Doctor is very sweet." Her eyes went a bit cloudy and she seemed confused, "I'm not sure why I need a Doctor. I feel fine."

Sherlock bit his lip for a moment and took a deep breath, "So no issues then?"

She turned to him, as if surprised to see him there, "No, no. Everyone's been a delight."

Sherlock granted her a bright smile and she seemed to warm up to him again, "That's good to hear. Have you had any issues with the post?"

She scrunched her face a little in thought, he'd seen Kairi do that as well and it was endearing, "No, no. I don't really get much and haven't sent a letter in years. I'm not quite sure who I'd send a letter to."

Sherlock swallowed hard, "So no family?"

She glanced up at him, "No I-," She froze for a moment, staring off into space for about thirty seconds and then she seemed to shake herself out of it, "Are they alright?"

"Who?"Sherlock asked to verify before continuing his line of questioning. If she remembered her daughters, then she might be able to answer more questions.

Her face turned stern, "My daughters, of course! Are they alright?"

Sherlock nodded, "Yes, they are safe."

"Oh," She put a relieved hand to her chest, "Do you know them?" Heather and -," She froze again.

"Kairi?" Sherlock finished.

Deanna smiled, "Yes, my Kiki, she is alright?" Sherlock nodded something tugging at the back of his mind. "Oh good. She's had such a rough time growing up. I really just wanted the best for her." She put a hand on Sherlock's hands that were folded in his lap. "We did everything we could to protect her." She squeezed his hand a little tighter and he looked into eyes that were full of determination and clarity, "I have done everything I can to protect her, but I'm afraid I can't much longer."

Sherlock narrowed his eyes, "How so?"

Deanna shook her head, looking weary and worn, "For so many years we kept her from him. We kept her safe."

Sherlock tried not to look excited, he was finally getting close! "From who?"

Deanne looked back at him, the truth in her eyes, "From the dragon. From Murchain, the dragon."

Sherlock's stomach dropped and he immediately realized defeat. "The dragon?" He sounded disenchanted.

"From the story!" She said frantically, "The dragon gained the princess' trust and then he destroyed her!"

"Yes mum." He said stoically, the tendrils of despair beginning to grip him tight.

"You must understand, the dragon killed him! He'll kill anyone who gets in his way!"

Sherlock was confused again, "Who did the dragon kill?"

Deanna looked around suspiciously, as if she were waiting for someone to pop out of the bed spread and eavesdrop, "He killed the King! No one knows it, but I do! He's a smart bastard and he never got caught, but I know it." She patted his hand and then went back to staring at the window.

Sherlock sighed and took this as a sign to leave. The mother was far too gone to get any useful information out of her and for some reason it made him see red. He was seething for a moment as he stood to go to the door, but Deanna stopped him with a gentle hand on his elbow. She stood slowly and brought his ear to her lips, "You must protect Kairi from the dragon."

Sherlock simply nodded, "The dragon Murchain?"

Deanna nodded fervently, "He's sent an army for her once. He's had me kill to keep her safe. I'm sure I've outlived my usefulness, but she needs to be protected."

Sherlock pulled back and met Deanna's desperate and sad eyes, "Yes, I'll protect her."

"Promise?"

Sherlock nodded and winked, "Promise."

Deanna pulled him in for a hug, "Oh bless you!"

Sherlock hugged her back gingerly and made his way for the door. When his hand was on the knob, Deanna spoke again in a sing song voice.

"Beware, beware the dragon Murchain,  
He comes from the Moors of Ann's Island chain.  
He seeks to consume, to bound and destroy  
Beware, oh beware of Murchain's little ploy."

And with that he left.


	17. -17-

The morning after her "family" barbecue, Kairi woke up with Appa scratching at her door. She groaned and tried to throw a pillow at him, but as earth's mightiest predator he dodged it effortlessly and kept whining. She sighed heavily, cursing in Japanese - simply because it was fun, and slowly rolled herself over. Her brain felt a little fuzzy, but it was probably because she stayed up so late with her sister and her friends.

It was an enjoyable affair. There was lots of laughter which suited Kairi perfectly - she could do without brooding and moroseness for a while. Everyone had a few beers through the night and chatted in friendly ways. Heather finally got to hear first hand accounts of Sherlock's exploits from John and Lestrade. Sherlock barely talked other than to add a few finer and somewhat uninteresting points to the story. Heather barely believed that a life so hectic and chaotic could be lived so comfortably. Kairi remembered her sister glancing at her, somewhat concerned, somewhat happy about what Kairi had fallen into.

She sat up slowly and finally stood up patting down her errant hair and admittedly, a bit wobbly after a few too many beers last night, walked over to open the door for Appa. He scurried out the barely open door and she could hear his clattering nails across the hardwood floors. She moseyed her way back over to her bed and flopped herself on top of the muppet comforter. She sighed heavily, trying to come to terms with her life at this moment.

First and foremost, she had a family now. Kairi and her sister had been thrust back together after her mother's indiscretions and were somewhat cultivating this new bond they shared. After years of confusion and probably resentment on both parts, they had matured enough to finally realize the fact that they were vastly different from one another and that was alright. They had developed into their own people at this point in their lives, established relationships (no matter how normal or odd they may be), put down roots, and were enjoying themselves (current murder aside). Kairi was happy with this development since it meant that she would at least get something positive after the years and years of suffering she had gone through at the hands of her familial issues. She found her sister easy to talk to, much like her mother used to be. Over the past couple weeks of Kairi being in her home, Heather had been open and comforting to be around. Kairi, despite her glaring insecurity, opened up to her sister and over the course of two weeks, they were able to talk to each other about their hardships and successes and be genuinely happy for one another. They both wanted different things out of life and they grew up enough to understand that they should respect each other's choices. They had never disliked each other really, but they just didn't grow up being friends. Heather was insanely social where Kairi was more introverted. Heather had a passle of close knit friends who she always seemed to be around, where Kairi was more of a home body and enjoyed books and technology. They were both very intelligent in their own ways, Heather, leaned more towards psychological sciences and brain physiology where Kairi held more interest in the central nervous systems of computers than her fellow man. Technical versus emotional. They both just developed on the opposite sides of the spectrum, never quite realizing that they still shared common human hardships that could be easily discussed. Kairi was happy that her and her sister had time to hash things out and find each other. They may never end up being best friends or calling each other everyday, but finally, Kairi could escape the unending shame she felt when faced with her sister and her seemingly perfect life.

Second, she had another sort of family as well. She sort of scoffed at the thought of it. No one would have guessed that Kairi would, in the end, have two families that she loved dearly. One just happened to be made up of people who are not genetically related to her. Molly was what she considered a best friend - she hadn't really had one of those before and it was refreshing. Their relationship was formed out of a need for companionship and it surprisingly formed a substantial and trusting bond. Kairi trusted Molly with her innermost secrets and fears and because of that, she was entitled the same from the beautiful coroner. John was this sort of constant brother and sounding board, they got along swimmingly and felt comfortable around each other. They bonded over being a verbal and emotional punching bag for Sherlock Holmes, but eventually just sort of clicked in sharing the same sort of wry humor. John being a military man didn't hurt either since Kairi was pretty accustomed to military family life. There was a slight bond that you shared with those people who understood the plight of either being a soldier or loving one. Lestrade was this figure in her life that she wasn't sure where to place. He wasn't exactly a mystery to her since he has always been very honest and open. They communicate well with each other and enjoy each other's conversations. He was surprisingly bright and a very brave and honorable man. He was sort of this White Knight in a world that didn't really hold honor in high esteem. He was a calming presence, grounding even, in her hectic life. Through working with Scotland Yard and in her case of course, she ended up spending a decent amount of time with him and developing rapport. He was fun to be around and easy to navigate because of his straightforward personality. Kairi was happy to have met him, but there was still a nagging factor of not knowing how to treat him. There was no denying the fact that she was attracted to him and that he was attracted to her. She felt comfortable with him and protected, but at the same time he, too, almost felt like a brother or in a less creepy descriptor, a friend. She wasn't quite sure where her relationship with Lestrade would go, but she wasn't afraid of it either. If it went down the path of friendship she would be happy. If it strayed into romance, she had this calming feeling of knowing it would probably end up being good. However, she didn't mind hanging in the balance and just enjoying the trust and companionship of said Detective Inspector.

Third, and probably most dysfunctional, was her relationship with Sherlock. The man... The man was utterly frustrating but ultimately captivating. They fought like alley cats, but she was drawn to him. She constantly found herself near him when she hadn't intended to do so. They had this sort of symphony of repel and attract that would either have them close enough to be called friends or far enough away to be barely acquaintances. In the end it disturbed her that he knew so much about her and she knew so little about him. He was a private person and was hard to read, whenever she was around him she wanted to be close to him but ended up feeling like she was constantly walking on egg shells. The most frustrating aspect was acknowledging her not-so-secret attraction to the man behind closed doors, where blushing and shivers could take their toll. When she thought about him, her heart instantly beat faster, her stomach flipped, and she felt her mouth go dry. She was never sure if she should run to him or away from him. In the end she knew she cared for him deeply in the sense that she felt as if he were a kindred spirit or an old soul. She could look into his eyes and understand him even though everything that came out of his mouth was completely annoying and absurd. This awkward friendship they formed had all sorts of fuzzy lines and red X's surrounding its perimeter. She didn't know how to classify it and this relationship was the one that scared her most of all. She wanted him in her life desperately, but she didn't know what role he would play. There was that creeping suspicion to find out just how his body would feel pressed up against hers in the heat of the moment - but being the tawdry brain-slut she was, she fantasized about a lot of men in that fashion. For him, though, it was rooted and almost primal. However, it wasn't so much his presence in his life that disturbed her, but rather, his absence. When he wasn't around, she felt an emptiness resting in her gut that she just couldn't shake. Perhaps it was because she cared about him, but it could also be the lovely realization that someone else is actually WORSE at human interaction than she is. The twang in her heart signified that it was the former and it scared the pants off of her. She wanted Sherlock Holmes and she wanted him badly, but she would never be able to act on those feelings because he absolutely terrified her.

She stayed, face down in a muppet and tried to calm her breathing. The house was eerily silent at this point, demonstrating that she ignored the devastating beauty of the nuclear bomb that is a family's early morning routine. She breathed deeply, almost willing herself to go back to sleep, but she knew it was already getting rather late and she really should get up and pretend to be functional. She groaned loudly at herself and let her thoughts wander further.

Instead she laid in bed and tried to will herself to make sense of this case, her life. She tried to remember her childhood, but the effort was moot at this point. Eighteen or so years of living with forgotten memories wouldn't suddenly change over night. She contemplated calling the good doctor for a chat, but in the end, she wasn't sure she wanted to remember these things. She had faint glimpses of inappropriate games with her dolls and it made her stomach queasy. She was fascinated by crime and violence at a young age, remembering that her favorite book in fifth grade was Silence of the Lambs. There were nagging feelings in her gut, pushing towards discovery, but in the end fear won over. Obviously, if she didn't remember her childhood there was probably a fairly good reason for it. The idea made her shudder as a cold chill seeped into the depths of her bones. Tears prickled at her eyes upon realizing that there was ten to twelve years of her life she would never get back. Many years of quality memories of her family or possibly happy moments with them that were completely and utterly lost on her. It broke her heart a little bit and her chest began to tighten with the beginnings of an anxiety attack. She wanted to cry, not remembering a time in her life when she didn't feel depressed or anxious or lonely or some combination. What if those ten years were full of something good that she couldn't grasp? She didn't understand why she was the way that she was and she was scared to try and figure it out. What if it only made things worse? What if, in the end, there were no bad memories that she blocked out? What if, in the end, she was just born flawed? The beginning of sobs wracked her chest but she was brought out of her emotional crash by the vworping of her phone.

She took some deep breaths and rubbed her face into the comforter to rid her cheeks of the tear lines and sniffled until she felt almost human. She picked up her phone and saw a text from Sherlock. He always seemed to know when she was in trouble and a ghost of a smile graced her lips.

_We have learned all we can from the investigation in the states. We have decided to fly back to London in the morning. I can reserve you a ticket. - SH_

Kairi's breath hitched and she wasn't sure what to think. The most frustrating aspect was that, to Sherlock, her return to London wasn't even a question. What did he know that she didn't?

She held her phone in her hands while she stared at the wall, trying to figure it out. Did she want to go back to London, continue her rather successful life that was beginning to blossom and risk worsening whatever it was that was happening to her? Or did she want to stay here, in California, with her sister and completely start anew, without warnings of spiders, dissected body parts in fridges, or the brooding glares of a temperamental man-child?

Her chest tightened again and she looked down at her phone, letting out a deep sigh.

She stood and pulled on her jeans from yesterday and made her way to the bedroom door, pushing complicated thoughts out of her brain until she had her coffee. She walked down the stairs and found her sister in the kitchen, flipping through some article on her ipad and Appa at her feet, chewing on a chunk of bagel.

Kairi couldn't help but chuckle and Heather looked up and smiled behind her reading glasses. Her hair was in a messy lump atop her head and she was still wearing her pajamas.

"Morning sunshine!" Heather chuckled as Kairi groaned, looking disheveled and miserable. "Coffee is on the burner for you."

Kairi only grunted her assent as she walked over and began pouring herself a mug and mixed in her preferred additives to the perfect consistency. She semi-glared at her sister who was wise enough to not drink to excess and rise in the morning looking fresh as a daisy. She took a sip and sighed, "I don't know why I try to have functional thoughts before coffee and a cigarette."

Heather chuckled, "Seriously. Shall we?"

Kairi nodded and they headed outside to drink and smoke in companionable semi-silence. As they sat on the lawn furniture, Kairi pulled out her pack of cigarettes and fished one out for herself. She flicked open the lighter Sherlock bought her and tried not to dwell on its significance to her or to him. As she took the blissful first inhale she slid them across the table to her sister and she did the same, but took the time to inspect the new lighter.

"This is beautiful." She murmured around the filter of her smoke, inspecting the lighter with great care. "Where did you get it?"

Kairi froze a bit, feeling nervous and exhaled with a bit of a cough, "Sherlock."

Heather nodded, a coy smile fighting for purchase on her lips, "The thin and gorgeous genius?"

Kairi tried to look unaffected, "Genius, yes. Gorgeous, I don't know. He's sort of like this mystical amoeba to me - amorphous and asexual."

Heather chuckled, "The lady doth protest too much, me thinks."

Kairi glared trying not to smile at her sister's well placed allusion, "Shut up."

Heather widened her smile, "He's an interesting guy, Sherlock. Really intelligent, its practically obnoxious, but rather kind." It was Kairi's turn to chuckle, "He seems to be a good friend to you." Kairi nodded, not quite sure how to respond. "And Lestrade. He seems to eye you quite a bit."

Kairi chuckled again, crinkling her nose, "He's kind of hot isn't he?"

Heather smiled, "That silver hair?" She moaned jokingly, "If I weren't completely and utterly devoted and entangled with the most fantastic man ever, I would be on that like white on rice."

Kairi laughed outright, "Slut, rub it in why don't you?" Heather smiled mischievously. "He keeps asking me out for drinks, Lestrade. Doesn't push or anything. Its always really kind and friendly, but I'm tempted to take him up on the offer."

Heather flicked the ash of her cigarette off the tip and frowned at her sister, "Whats stopping you?"

Kairi paused with the cigarette halfway to her lips, completely unsure. Her phone metaphorically burned in her pocket a bit at the idea of  _Why not?_  "I don't know. It just never seemed right."

Heather rose an appraising eyebrow, "Well, why not when you get back to London?"

Kairi glanced at her sister while she inhaled, "What makes you think I'm heading back to London?"

Heather smiled and sipped her coffee, Kairi did the same, "Oh Kairi, the second we saw that group at the institution, there was no doubt in my mind that you'd be heading back." Kairi exhaled slowly, listening to her younger, brighter sister, "The second you laid eyes on Sherlock, before you realized you were supposed to be upset with him there was a certain truth in your eyes."

Kairi took her turn to frown, "What truth? That he's infuriating?"

Heather smiled, "The second you looked at him, the simple, pronounced truth in your eyes was one singular word: Home." She paused to sip again and Kairi's heart ached, "I'm not stupid. Its the same look Adam gets when he's playing with the kids or when we're, you know...bumping uglies." She made a sort of vulgar face.

Kairi grimaced at her sister who simply laughed for a good long time at Kairi's discomfort. Until the chuckle died down and Kairi's smile faded, she glanced at her sister, "They want me to return with them to London. Tomorrow." She glanced at Heather to see if she could read her expression, but she only looked at her Kairi with slight concern, "I don't know what to do."

Heather shrugged and smiled, "As much fun as its been having you here and, I don't know," She sort of waved her hands around a bit as if trying to grasp the word she was looking for, " _Reconnecting_. You need to go home Kairi."

Kairi stared at the burning end of her cigarette, "You think home for me is in London?"

Heather chuckled, "Oh sister,  _you_  think London is home for you. I don't remember ever seeing you as happy and as animated with friends before I met these people. They do you good."

Kairi tried to fight a smile. "So you don't mind the short notice?"

Heather waved her hand in dismissal or to dissipate smoke, "Not at all. If London is where you want to be right now, then you should go." She reached over and placed a hand on Kairi's leg, "But if you want to stay you're welcome here as long as you need it. Julie pretends to hate sharing a room, but every night we go to check on them, her and Danni are curled into each other under a book."

With that thought, Kairi's heart warmed deeply and she smiled at her sister. They finished their cigarettes in silence and went back inside to get ready for the day.

* * *

Sherlock returned to the hotel per John's instructions to meet Lestrade and John in the small cafe. He saw them sitting at a table together with coffee and breakfast remnants on their table. They were chatting amicably and reading the news out of papers and magazines. He approached their table and sat silently, pulling out his phone and checking for a response from Kairi. He frowned to see that his inbox was empty.

"No news from Kairi then?" John said as nonchalantly as he could muster.

Sherlock only glared at him and waved a waitress over to order coffee. He waited impatiently for her to deliver the mediocre cup of watered down caffeine and mixed in his two sugars until the crystals melted. He took a sip and made an unsatisfied face, "Their coffee is dreadful here."

Lestrade peeked out behind his paper, "Well you could go to Starbucks and order a frapuccino princess."

Sherlock shot him another angry glare and pulled out his phone, inspecting the local news, both to the Bay Area and to London with nothing exciting piquing his interest. "Do we have any cases for when we return?"

Lestrade shook his head in the negative while continuing to read.

Sherlock could already feel the tendrils of boredom gripping his mind and he tapped his fingers on the table somewhat impatiently.

"Relax, she'll call." John muttered and handed Sherlock a magazine he was completely uninterested in.

Sherlock grabbed the magazine with a quizzical look, feigning ignorance, "Who?" He opened the magazine and pretended not to care. John just simply rolled his eyes.

The hotel they were staying in was close enough to the airport for it to be busy. It wasn't exactly tourist season in this area though the weather could support it at this time. It was brisk, but sunny. If the wind didn't pick up, the sun was actually quite warm. Sherlock had forgone his large coat this morning since it was hardly intolerable weather for a native Englishman. This was beach weather in some areas in Britain. He checked his phone again, as discreetly as he could and silently fumed. He told himself it was because it would be best to book the tickets as quickly as possible to ensure their placement on the flight. He was broken out of his reverie by Lestrade's phone vibrating across the table.

Lestrade reached out and grabbed the phone, checking the number and trying not to smile. He accepted the call and put it to his ear, "Hello love, how are you?" Sherlock knew that Lestrade used that specific term of endearment for many female friends and colleagues he was close to. "Oh good. Yeah. Don't worry about it. I'll send you all the information." Lestrade glanced at Sherlock momentarily, the slightest bit of unease in his eyes, which made Sherlock frown. "Course. You'll take my room. I'll bunk with a stooge." He smiled and John gave an amused chuff while still reading the paper. "Don't worry about it, Kairi," Lestrade gave a sideways glance at Sherlock unintended and Sherlock felt his stomach twist, "Yeah, we'll see you tonight." Lestrade ended the call and put it back in his pocket as Sherlock pretended to be interested in the pages before him.

After a few beats of silence Lestrade finally spoke to John and Sherlock, "That was Kairi. She's coming home with us. Says she will be here around nine p.m. after dinner and saying goodnight to her nieces."

"Oh good." John smiled at Lestrade over his magazine and then glanced at Sherlock who looked perturbed. "Sherlock you alright?"

Sherlock nodded, "Interesting happenings in the Middle East." Was all he said. John sort of nodded, looking at his friend, concerned. "You can bunk with John, Lestrade. I prefer my privacy."

Lestrade chanced a look at John who was looking back and forth between the two men, quite concerned.

"Yeah, that's fine." John said, confusion intoned and then men all went back to reading their papers in awkward silence.


	18. -18-

The flight from San Francisco to London was extremely awkward to say the least. Eleven hours of practical silence which was somewhat alleviated by Kairi diving into her Kindle and never promising to return. She sat between Lestrade and Sherlock the entire flight and was placed in the pit between perpetual smugness and obvious distaste. Appa lied at her feet, being a collective foot warmer for the wide row.

The night before, she arrived at the Hotel with Appa after a very teary and heart aching goodbye to her sister, Adam, and their children. She promised a visit soon, since Thanksgiving was only a few months away and she received pictures and drawings with copious amounts of clear instructions on how to contact anyone at any time of the day. With lots of well wishes and kisses and hugs, Kairi bid her stateside family farewell and met with Lestrade who helped her into his room. He showed here where everything was and assured her that new towels and linens were provided for her one night stay. They had a little simple conversation where Lestrade asked her about her time in the colonies and wanted to make sure she had a decent enough vacation from them, while also apologizing profusely for ruining said vacation by showing up. They laughed a little bit and he wished her a goodnight with a flirtatious twinkle in his eye. She prepared herself for bed quickly and invited Appa up to snuggle. As they drifted off the sleep, Kairi couldn't help but smile at the thoughts of the cool London air and scarves and cosy coats. Winter would arrive in a few months and she was dying to see a white Christmas in London.

The first time she saw Sherlock was the next morning after Lestrade had fetched her and Appa from her room. They went to meet John and Sherlock for a cab and Sherlock barely acknowledged her presence while John was warm and welcoming. He was obvious about missing her and also told her how excited Molly was for Kairi to return. Kairi responded accordingly, but there was a little pinch of anger in the back of her mind that Sherlock seemed to be ignoring her again - even after he had given her such a precious gift. Though perhaps it was her own fault for phoning Lestrade instead of him. She tried to reason that she was doing so because Lestrade would respond to her phone call or text immediately, but Sherlock always had a way of somewhat misplacing the determination to contact her. In the end she knew it was because she was unsure of their relationship and his gift had made her nervous. Now she just made it worse.

When they arrived in London, they had gathered their carry-ons and made their way off the plane, not having to deal with the luggage terminal. They finally got outside and Kairi took a deep breath of fresh air and shivered in the brisk afternoon light. She filled her lungs with London and she chuckled at how right her sister was. London was very much her home.

"Well, I'll be off. I'm going to grab my own cab and maybe stop by Scotland Yard." Lestrade yawned. He moved towards Kairi and reached an arm out to grab her elbow gently and he leaned in for a kiss on her cheek, "I'll call you later, yeah?"

Kairi, surprised and blushing, nodded as he winked, waved at the boys, and walked away. Her breath caught in her chest as she glanced at John and Sherlock. John was trying not to smile while Sherlock pretended to be interested in his phone. Kairi was surprised that it even had any battery left since he spent the entire flight on it and ignoring her. She averted her eyes and adjusted the strap of her luggage and pat Appa on the head, "Well, I guess I'm off. I'm gonna go," She paused, she really didn't have anywhere to go but Molly's, she was still homeless, "To Molly's, I guess, or maybe the morgue." John simply nodded and Sherlock remained uninterested, "I will catch up with you two at some point, yeah? Damn, I should probably give Mycroft a call." She added with concern, though logic dictated he already knew of her return - probably before she did. She adjusted the bag on her shoulder and then nodded awkwardly to John and Sherlock, "Right, see you." She waved and then started to turn.

Kairi was almost cast off balanced by the quick hand that shot out to pull at her elbow. She turned back, seeing Sherlock had reached out to grab her before she left, but he still hadn't shared a word with her. "Uhm, yes?" She tried not to sound uncomfortable by his display, but she honestly did not understand it.

He instantly let go, "There's something to show you at Baker Street." He said tonelessly.

Kairi's eyes widened, a little bit full of fear but mostly out of confusion, "About my case?"

"Of sorts." John said, smiling in his timid way.

"Oh, okay." She frowned, "I guess we should share a cab then." Sherlock nodded, placing his attention back to his phone and turned on his heel intending for John and Kairi to follow. After a stunned moment, John reached for Kairi's bag to help, "Oh its okay-," She tried to protest but he waved her off and grabbed her bag anyways and headed after Sherlock.

Kairi was confused, but followed them, Appa staring up at her and happy to be home.

The cab trip was silent, but that was alright with Kairi. She was sitting next to the window, squished with John at her side an Sherlock opposite him, with Appa at her feet and marveling at the beauty of London outside their window.

Sherlock had been right, she adored old-fashioned and antiquated things. She loved the look of London that blended history with the present. Every once and a while you'd flash past busy streets full of people milling about and sky scrapers reflecting the gloomy sky and a moment later you'd be faced with hundred year old housing and gothic churches adorned with gargoyles and beautiful statues. The sky was grey, as usual, and she probably should have dressed a bit better to stay warm, but she just let it go. A while in the car and then soon she'd be in Baker Street and she'd be warm again. She looked over to John who was lazily staring out the same window and he nodded and smiled to her without saying a word. He was comfortable that way, in silence, it was probably why Sherlock took such a liking to him. John rarely said anything superfluous. She tried to glance at Sherlock, but once again he had is nose practically pressed to his phone screen. She sighed, realizing that she had just drove another wedge between them which so recently had been removed. Now it was her fault and she assumed that Sherlock would easily hold a grudge until his dying day. She leaned her head against the cold glass of the window and watched as London buzzed by her.

A bit later they pulled into Baker Street and Sherlock paid the cabby and disappeared into the home, calling out to Mrs. Hudson. John rolled his eyes and helped Kairi out of the car, they both schlepped up the luggage - Sherlock's included - and made their way into Baker Street with Appa trotting alongside them. Kairi let Appa off his lead to sniff around, remembering this place as home and left her luggage downstairs as she followed John up the steps into their flat. He unceremoniously tossed Sherlock's bag on the floor and then carted his own bag into his room.

Kairi wandered into 221B with a sense of awe. It had been some time since she stepped foot in their flat. The feeling of being there gave her a buzzing sensation of electricity in her veins. It instantly warmed her. It had been month or so since she'd shared a bed and a dog with the infuriating detective. He probably considered it unimportant information and had disposed of it. This slight made her frown, but her smiled returned seeing Appa curled up next to Sherlock's chair and resting his eyes. Kairi continued looking around. Everything remained the same as far as she could tell. The kitchen was still bursting with science experiments and the front room had that sort of cluttered grace of an eccentric's home. She passed her hands over old books lying on desks and tables and smiled as their scent filled her nostrils. She was very happy to be home.

A sad reality came to her attention when she realized that 221B was not and never would be her home. She sighed and looked around, seeing Sherlock messing about in the kitchen and still ignoring her. She decided to be a bit impish and walked over to his chair and plopped herself into it loudly. He seemed to freeze a second but didn't actually acknowledge her. She sighed and pulled out her phone to text Molly.

"Oh you're back!" Mrs. Hudson said coming through the front door and happily waving her arms. John returned from his room and walked over to Mrs. Hudson and gave her a big hug, "Oh I've missed you ridiculous boys!" Sherlock came out of the kitchen for a stiff hug and placed a gentle kiss on the top of Mrs. Hudson's head. She squeezed him greatly anyway and patted his flat stomach. Once Sherlock let go he turned to the kitchen, Mrs. Hudson was over to Kairi and squealing a bit, "Oh Kairi! I missed having a lady around the house! I'm so excited!" She was absolutely full of glee.

Kairi gave Mrs. Hudson an odd look but smiled and welcomed her hug. She was just visiting for the moment but then again Kairi was gone for almost a month and hadn't seen her. Kairi's presence probably signaled to Mrs. Hudson that her and Sherlock had mended their dysfunctional friendship, "I've missed you too Mrs. Hudson, its so nice to see you!"

"Yes dear! Well lets get you situated, come on." Mrs. Hudson waved for Kairi to follow.

"Oh the boys just wanted to show me something. I'm going to head over to Molly's and stay there until I find a flat." Kairi smiled, halting Mrs. Hudson.

She turned slowly, looking at John and Sherlock who were coy and impassive respectively, "Oh you cheeky men! You didn't tell her?"

Kairi was very confused, "They just wanted me to take a look at something involving my case."

Mrs. Hudson giggled a bit, "Oh I do love surprises! Come on then!" She reached for Kairi's hand and pulled her along, out of 221B and down the stairs to the opposite corner of 221 Baker Street.

Kairi was confused. There was another door, marked 221C and Mrs. Hudson was fiddling with the keys and she went to open it up. Appa had re-discovered his mistress by then and was following them around, hoping for a biscuit from Mrs. Hudson.

The door opened and Mrs. Hudson pulled her inside, "Now its just a one bedroom and from what I understand its smaller, but its still quite spacious."

Kairi took a deep breath at the gorgeous little flat. It had hardwood floors and an open rectangular floorplan. The front room and the kitchen were attached, much like 221B, but all that separated it was a spacious bar and counter for the kitchen. Tucked back in the corner was a small dining area which hosted a round table made of dark wood with four simple chairs. The sitting area had a matching love seat and chair that were large and plush and made of some soft sort of corduroy. As Mrs. Hudson went into detail about some items, Kairi sort of zoned out, dragging her fingers along the soft material and rounding the sofa to see that it and the chair and a coffee table were nested around an ornate stone fireplace. The breath caught in her throat and she had no other desire than to curl up on the floor with Appa and read a book by the fire.

"So?" Mrs. Hudson asked, seeing Kairi's smile from a mile away, "Don't mind the old furniture, it belonged to my sister and I've been keeping it in storage."

"Its lovely." Kairi smiled, "Its absolutely lovely."

"Oh good! Well everything has been repainted and checked! Its ready for you to move in." Mrs Hudson chimed, "Lets go see the bedroom!"

Kairi finally took pause, she was meant to move in?

"Mrs. Hudson, did you say its all set for me to move in?" Kairi asked as she followed her into the bedroom through French double doors where Appa was already getting comfortable at the foot of the bed.

"I got you some plain linens, if you don't like them I can return them or you can replace them when you fancy." Mrs. Hudson was smiling next to the queen sized brass bed. The headboard was large and curved on top to make a sort of semicircle. Posts that touched the top were long and had these sort of bulbous stones melded within at varying degrees to form a pattern. It almost looked like raindrops falling from the sky. Kairi was absolutely breathless. "Its not much, but its yours!"

Kairi was absolutely shocked, "What do you mean its mine?"

Mrs. Hudson was smiling so wide and just full of happiness, "Oh the boys have been working so hard on it since you left for America! Molly had mentioned you would be flat shopping and I had this extra unit. Most people aren't interested because its a bit damp, but the boys fixed it right up!"

Kairi could barely breathe, "You mean, its mine? I'm supposed to live here?" She walked up to the bed and touched the delicious sheets. They matched the ones that she'd used in Sherlock's room - only confirming her suspicion that Mrs. Hudson had bought them for him. She sat gently on the bed, staring at the lovely frame and glided her fingers across the cool metal.

"Yes." Came a deep voice from behind Mrs. Hudson. Kairi minutely jumped, surprised that Sherlock had snuck up on them. She stared at him and his face held no emotion. "John and Molly thought it would be best if you were close to one of u- them." He corrected himself quickly.

"Well I'll leave you to it!" Mrs. Hudson smiled, her hands at her mouth trying to stifle her joy as she removed herself from the flat.

Sherlock remained in the doorway as Kairi sat on the bed, her fingers whispering across the sheets beneath her fingertips. He simply watched her as she stood and approached the closet, sliding open the door and gasping.

"My clothes?" She glanced at Sherlock and he took a few steps in, pausing to lean against the bed, looking disinterested.

"Everything that could be salvaged was. Deep cleaned and inspected before arriving here." He said, sounding slightly bored.

Kairi touched some of her favorite clothing items, including the newer haul that she had purchased for starting work with Mycroft. She smiled wide, tears threatening her eyes.

"Oh Sherlock..." She started and then turned to look at him, but he wasn't looking at her. "Why?"

He frowned but remained looking at the bed or the wall, Kairi honestly didn't know. He cleared his throat, "You deserve to be safe." He muttered.

Before Kairi could respond in elated thanks or crush him in a hug with overwhelming appreciation, he turned on his heel and stalked out of the room without another word. Frowning again, she looked after him and then heard her front door close.

She tried to feel upset but at this moment she was just so happy. She had a small home for herself and Appa now. She had clothes! She was just absolutely ecstatic! She would have to call Molly and pop up to see John and say thanks for their hard work.

First things first, she decided she needed to unpack and have a bath. She went to her front room - she squealed a bit, thinking of it as  _her_  front room - and noticed that her luggage had already been placed inside. She grabbed it and returned to her bedroom and left the unpacked bags on the floor. She would need to get a hamper and do laundry. She didn't have a hook up in her new little home, but she was sure Mrs. Hudson or the boys would be okay with her using theirs for a small fee. She would need to talk to Mrs. Hudson about establishing rent for her gorgeous new little home.

She walked into the bathroom and gasped in shock. It was rather plain to be completely honest, all white tile and silver fixtures, but she had a giant claw foot tub and shower with the circular ring for the shower curtain. She squeaked again and automatically went to draw a bath for herself. Happy tears were definitely on the horizon.

She felt her phone vibrate in her pocket and she pulled it out to see Lestrade phoning her. She answered it gleefully, "Hello Lestrade!"

He chuckled, "Well you seem happy, you find your new flat, yeah?"

She smiled, "Every one of you is really good at keeping secrets! I'm so excited! Its perfect!"

He laughed at that, "That we are."

Kairi was still smiling as she turned the bath water off to hear Lestrade better, "How can I help?"

There was a few beats of silence on the other end of the phone, but finally Lestrade spoke, "Right then, once you've got yourself all situated, how about you and I finally go for that drink?"

Kairi was shocked and happy and giddy over her apartment she blurted out, "Yes." Without really thinking. Not that there was much to think about. Lestrade had asked her out plenty of times before, always receiving a raincheck, and she decided, finally, why not?

She could practically hear the smile on his end, "Glorious." He chuckled, "I'll pick you up around 7?"

Kairi's face was starting to hurt from all her smiling, she was so happy, "Yeah that sounds good. Just something low-key though? All this travel has me exhausted."

Lestrade chuckled, "Yeah of course. I was thinking italian and then just hanging out with some wine or something."

"That sounds great Lestrade." Kairi smiled.

"I think you can actually call me Greg now without being a bother." He responded and Kairi blushed.

"All right Greg. I'll see you tonight." Kairi replied and Lestrade confirmed the time.

Kairi went back to her bath, drawing the blissfully hot water and she sat on the edge of the tub and looked over to see Appa siting in the doorway.

"Appa, everything's coming up roses!" She smiled and began to undress.

* * *

Kairi finished up her bath and got her hair done in loose flowing curls for the date. She pinned up one side, exposing the side of her face and neck and checked the time, realizing she had some extra to spare. She threw on a long and droopy sweater with some leggings and decided to see Sherlock and John before they disappeared into the night. She ran up to 221B with Appa close at her heels and knocked on the door. In a moment John opened it up, trying to hide his gleeful smile and Kairi threw herself at him for a hug. Appa let himself in and started sniffing about the flat.

"Oh you sneaky bastard, I love you!" She practically yelled and kissed him fatly on the cheek. John blushed slightly and chuckled at the sentiment.

"Glad you like it!" He smiled and guided her in to sit in their lounge area. "Molly and I figured it would be perfect for you, this way you're near to us and don't have to worry so much about being alone, but you've got your own space so you don't have to deal with this clot." He nodded towards the kitchen where the clot was fussing with his experiments.

Kairi stood quickly and made her way over to Sherlock. He had changed from the airplane ride and had probably showered. The curls at the back of his neck were still just slightly damp. He was dressed in his suit pants, but was only wearing his button down shirt in a deep blue. She wanted to hug him as well, but he was looking irritable. She sighed lightly and compromised by putting a hand on his shoulder as he stared into the microscope. "I never got to say thank you before you left earlier."

Sherlock gave her a curt nod, not distracting himself from the slides.

Kairi frowned and turned back to John who was picking up some items and cleaning up a bit. She cleared her throat, trying to shake the coldness caused by the consulting detective.

"You look nice, having a night out?" John muttered, "I think Molly is working tonight though."

Kairi smiled and blushed slightly, following John and helping to pick up tiny bits of trash and reorganizing to books to the way she thought Sherlock wanted. "Well, I've only done my hair, these are my relaxing clothes." John chuckled, "But yes, Lestrade called me out for a drink, so he's coming to get me at seven."

There was a loud clang coming from the kitchen and John and Kairi looked to see Sherlock still staring at his microscope, motionless. "Oh?" John muttered, glancing with a concerned look at his friend.

Kairi frowned at the detective but turned back to John, smiling lightly as John met her eyes, "Yeah he's been asking me out for a drink for ages and I guess I figured, why not? We're good friends now."

A bit of loud shuffling occurred behind her and she saw John's eyes go from light to concerned as his eyes followed something moving over her shoulder. A door suddenly slammed behind Kairi and she and John flinched.

"Yeah," John said, looking distracted and a bit concerned, "I'm sure you'll have a great time."

Kairi tried to keep herself from looking sad, "Yeah. Well I guess I'll go back to fixing up my new place and finish getting ready. I just wanted to say thanks for helping me out so much." She glanced over her shoulder to verify that Sherlock was indeed gone and she exhaled deeply, "I don't know what I would have done without you and Molly and Sherlock."

John nodded and put a hand to her shoulder, "You're very welcome Kairi."

Kairi rested her opposite hand on John's over her shoulder and squeezed. "I'd like you all to come by for coffee or maybe I could make dinner for you lot one night, seeing as I actually have a kitchen now."

John smiled and pulled his hand away, "That would be great."

Kairi nodded and whistled for Appa who was snooping around 221B and made her way back down to her flat. Sherlock was no where in sight and she tried to comprehend just why he was being so cold.

A fleeting thought permeated her mind and she actually froze in shock. Was he actually jealous?

Kairi laughed at herself and shook her head making her way into her flat. The idea of Sherlock entertaining jealousy was absolutely preposterous. It was more likely that he had sprouted a second head and rushed to the morgue to have it investigated by Molly. She chuckled at her small joke and went to grab Appa's lead to take him out once more before her date. She wouldn't be able to take him on their usual languorous walk, but she figured that he could use a quick trot while Kairi called Molly.

Once situated outside with leashes and coats and appropriate bluetooth devices, Kairi rang up Molly and heard an excited squeal when she picked up.

"Oh do you absolutely love it!?" Molly said over the phone.

Kairi laughed and smiled, "Its absolutely perfect. I don't think I could have furnished it so perfectly myself!"

Molly cheered, "Oh I can't believe it! I'm a little sad we couldn't bunk together anymore, but Baker Street is perfect for the both of us. I'll have a one stop shop for both you and John!"

Kairi chuckled, "Yeah it works out nicely. I can check in with Mycroft whenever he comes to annoy Sherlock, too. It'll be nice being close to everyone. Mrs. Hudson is vibrating with joy over the fact that there's another woman nearby!"

Molly sniggered at that, "I'm sure she could use the relief." A moment later, Molly asked, "So what are you doing with your first night in your new home?"

Kairi blushed, "Well, I'm actually going out on a date."

Molly gave an appreciative gasp, "A date? With whom?"

"Lestrade." Kairi replied.

Molly was silent for a few beats, "Oh."

Kairi frowned, "Oh? Just oh?" she chuckled, "I'm pretty sure we've both been imagining this for a while."

Molly replied in her nervous tone, "Oh no! Not that, I just didn't think you were still interested in him is all."

Kairi shrugged, "Well, its not as if we're getting married tonight. He has been asking me for a drink for a while now and I kept putting him off. I figured why not now? New beginnings and all that shit. I just want to put these past few months behind me."

"Well," Molly sounded as if she were trying to pull herself together, "I'm sure he'll be lovely, I mean, it! It will be lovely! A lovely night"

Kairi laughed, "Yeah, I mean Greg has been nothing but nice and friendly. I think we are both in the frame of mind where we aren't taking anything too seriously."

"Oh so its Greg now?" Molly snickered.

"Oh shut up," Kairi laughed, "I figure its a bit weird to call him DI Lestrade the entire time. I want it to be... casual"

"Well that's good."

Kairi chuckled, "Yeah, I'm nervous and a little excited."

"I'm sure it will go perfectly. Lestrade is very easy to talk to." Molly finished.

Kairi opened her mouth to say something when there was a loud crash that sounded over the phone.

"Oh!" Was Molly's only response.

"Molly are you alright?" Kairi asked, quickly concerned.

"Yeah," Molly chuckled, "Yeah, its just Sherlock, he came busting in here and gave me a fright."

Kairi smirked, "Yeah, he does that."

"Oh he looks like he's in a mood." Molly said quietly into the phone. "I better go. Good luck on your date!" She whispered.

"Thank you!" Kairi pretend-whispered back and they shared a small laugh as the line disconnected.


	19. Chapter 19

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N
> 
> I figure I should issue a warning. This story is rated M for a reason...This chapter is that reason (or at least one). You may want to get yourself a glass of ice water to cool off once you reach the end. I'm quite happy with myself over this chapter. I hope you enjoy it. Its different from most fics that I've read in its presentation and I hope that it comes off as more realistic yet still titilating. I REALLY want to hear what you think of it so PLEASE, PLEASE leave some reviews. This is my style so I doubt it will drastically change the next time M-content occurs, but I think that theres always room for growth.
> 
> enjoy :D

Lestrade had arrived on time to pick up Kairi. She was wrapped up in her calf length pea coat and a scarf as he guided her out into the cold night. They hopped in his car and were making their way towards a small italian restaurant that Lestrade was recommended by a friend from the Yard. Kairi made him promise that it wasn't Anderson who did the recommending and Lestrade just laughed and promised her as such.

As nervous as Kairi was, she had to admit it was always easy to talk to Lestrade. He was conversational, funny, and more outgoing than her so it was easy to sit back, listen to him talk and crack a few jokes here and there. The drive was filled with mostly simple chatter, probably saving more interesting conversation for dinner.

When they arrived at the restaurant and parked, Lestrade, ever the gentleman, opened her door for her and helped her out. They chatted some more about the restaurant itself which was a small and cozy single building with red awnings and a patio spotted with heaters. It had large windows and Kairi could see a few families and couples in the small dining area littered with simple yet solid looking wooden tables with white table linens, smallish candles, and small, fashionable decanters of olive oil and balsamic vinegar at the center. It looked like a classical Italian restaurant where their food would be made from scratch and recipes would be passed down from generation to generation, untouched for hundreds of years. She absolutely loved it.

As they walked inside, Lestrade approached the hostess and smiled, asking for their reservation. Kairi followed Lestrade and the hostess to their table as she began unbuttoning her jacket and unfurling her scarf from around her neck. They reached a small booth, tucked back in the restaurant and Kairi smiled as her and Lestrade pulled off their large winter coats.

Kairi eyed him appreciatively. He had the solid body of a working man, maybe a little later in years than she was used to, but he was in good shape and quite handsome. He was wearing a deep charcoal grey, two button suit that fit him perfectly and showed off the lines of his body. The material looked soft and had the slightest sheen to it to make it look silky. The shirt underneath the suit was white and plain, but crisp and he wore a simple plum colored tie. The colors were contrasting but subtle and made his skin look lively and his eyes shine. What lingerie did for men, suits did for Kairi. She would die for a man in a good suit.

She averted her eyes when she realized Lestrade would look back up at her and she pulled off her jacket and heard a sharp intake of breath. She glanced up at Lestrade and smiled as he eyed her with a look of shock on his face.

"May I say Kairi, you do look stunning tonight." He sort of chuckled along.

Kairi flushed and straightened out her dress, "Thank you. I have to admit you look rather dashing yourself." She was wearing the very comfortable lycra-cashmere-cotton blend dress that she bought over a month ago in a deep cool based red. The sleeves exposed her strong shoulders and contrasted perfectly against her pale skin and the black lines of her shoulder tattoo. Its thick straps and square neckline framed her collar bones and showcased the tops of her breasts in a modest yet sexy way. It hugged her form but draped beautifully along the curves of her body without being skin tight. It stopped just above her knee with a modest slit in the back to allow for greater movement. She even wore her only pair of simple peep-toed platform styled heels. The only non-flat shoe she owned.

They both sat down and smiled at each other for a few moments. Kairi was blushing and Lestrade was trying not to chuckle at her, "You know this doesn't have to be hellishly awkward."

Kairi let out a guffaw and then covered her red lips in embarrassment, "Its so like you to make me make an ass out of myself."

Lestrade just winked and chuckled, "I think you do fine for yourself."

She glared at him playfully as the waitress approached and began discussing the specials of the night and instructed them through the menu. Lestrade asked for a few moments to decide on their food and drink, but asked for some water to be brought to the table for them. Kairi nodded and smiled at the hostess and Lestrade turned his attention back to Kairi.

"So what are you thinking for wine tonight? Got any favorites?" He smiled.

Kairi chuckled, "Uh, the two dollar a bottle kind?"

It was Lestrade's turn to laugh at that, "Oh you're a classy one, I like that."

Kairi smiled genuinely and felt her nervousness dissipate slightly. "I only know good Whiskey and decent beer. It depends on my mood...and wallet."

Lestrade chuckled, eyeing the menu, "Well I don't see anything for two dollars on here, but get whatever you like. You deserve a nice night out."

Kairi smiled, rolling her eyes at his slight jab, "Okay, Mr. Fancy-pants, if you're so proficient, you can order my wine for me then. I'll decide my own food."

Lestrade eyed her over his menu and chuckled, "Well, what are you getting? That might help with the selection."

Kairi glazed over the food and found a delicious sounding tortellini with braised beef, shitake mushrooms, and asiago cheese in a sweet, cream based sauce. She pointed it out to Lestrade and he chuckled, "That sounds amazing. Now I don't know what I want."

Kairi chuckled, "You can try some of mine if you want. Just get something I wanna eat too and we'll sort of just scavenge off each other's plates."

He winked, "I like the way you think." And he glanced back at the menu, "How does this sound?" He pointed at a veal based meal and Kairi nodded.

"I love eating defenseless baby animals." She chuckled jokingly - of course she'd eat it.

Lestrade hid his smile and closed his menu, "Well, we just have so much in common, don't we?"

Kairi let out another laugh at that and the waitress came and took their orders. She brought out a bottle of wine Lestrade mentioned to share between the two of them. It was a delicious French wine from Gigondas a vintage from 2007. It was a very powerful wine, with a strong plummy, berry taste and a grounding finish. Kairi had to admit that it was ravishing to imbibe.

Their conversation deepened on how Lestrade came to know so much about wine. He admitted that his ex-wife had insisted on wine tastings all over the country but eventually became frustrated when her palate never truly adjusted to taste the signature notes. Strangely enough, Lestrade had such talent and ended up really enjoying the varying tastes of wines from all over the world. He wasn't haughty about it, but he was definitely a bit nerdy about his wine obsession. He enjoyed the research and the science behind it as well as the delicate processes for creating these signature tastes to grow and develop over the years. Kairi found that his passion about the subject, without being snobbish, made it actually seem pretty interesting.

Lestrade then asked about Kairi's hobbies which were primarily reading and taking apart and rebuilding and reprogramming technology. Lestrade had laughed because he was hopeless when it came to electronics. He listened to her go on a bout it for a while, sipping wine until their food was brought out and chuckling over this, that, or the other.

They ate during chunks of silence between conversation. Kairi discussed her schooling and Lestrade had told her about how he ended up in Scotland Yard. Kairi talked about living in Japan and New Zealand and Lestrade mentioned that his brother had gone to visit the country after seeing it in Lord of The Rings. They both laughed and continued talking about themselves and asking questions about each other. Their conversation was entertaining and hardly spotted with awkward silences. They finished off the bottle of wine over the course of an hour or two and decided to get desert to allow time for the wine to run through their system. It wasn't as if Lestrade was drunk at all, but since he was driving he preferred to make sure Kairi would get home safely. Kairi ate her tiramisu and Lestrade nibbled on some cheesecake. They agreed this restaurant was delicious and that they would need to visit it again. Neither of them commented on whether or not this was an official date between them or rather, two attractive friends having dinner and catching up. There weren't any long seductive glances or pettings beneath the table. They looked at each other with genuine care for the other person, but it didn't feel outright sexual in any way. It felt comfortable and it felt nice.

Dinner and dessert came to a close and they paid the bill, Kairi offered half, but Lestrade declined. She promised to pay for their next dinner and they smiled at one another in a knowing moment. Kairi felt an immense relief that she could sit with this man and talk, genuinely talk, without the pressure and expectation of romance or sex. It made it much easier for her to admit her attraction to him and to see their friendship grow into something else. The pressure of attraction, the pressure of romance made her automatically nervous and anxious. She never understood why she always felt that way, but it was present. The previous two relationships she had came from close friendships that evolved into attraction and devolved into lack of sexual and emotional attention. Most men were automatically turned off by her independence, or more accurately her stubbornness, and an inherent need for alone time. Kairi was very withdrawn for most of her life, lacked intimacy, and that was difficult for someone on the opposite end who craved her attention. Being young and being in relationships is hard. She hadn't been with someone for at least three or four years.

Lestrade didn't seem bothered by her lack of overt flirtatious behavior. He seemed content with jokes and interesting conversation and that was a huge relief to Kairi. They made their way to the car, discussing interesting cases Lestrade was working on that Sherlock was not involved in. At the mention of Sherlock, Kairi's chest constricted and she felt a deep sense of betrayal burning in her stomach. She pointedly ignored it and continued conversing comfortably with Lestrade.

They arrived at Baker Street and Lestrade parked to walk her up and inside while they chatted away about silly things. No one was around and so they stayed focused on one another until they reached the door of her flat. Kairi pulled her keys from her purse and they descended into an awkward silence. Kairi shifted on her feet and Lestrade tried not to smile at her being nervous and cute.

"There's no pressure you know." Lestrade said, moving closer and putting his hands on her arms.

Kairi smiled and him and laughed at herself, "I'm not real good at this whole dating thing."

Lestrade chuckled, "I haven't been on the dating scene in quite some time," He laughed loudly at that, "Just calling it the  _dating scene_  makes me seem ancient."

Kairi laughed as he dropped his hands and pushed one through his grey hair.

"I really enjoyed tonight, Greg." Kairi smiled.

He smiled back and reached up to cup the side of her face, "So did I. You're a really clever and beautiful woman Kairi. I think you deserve to know that."

Kairi blushed heavily at that. Rarely did people call her beautiful and smart. "I - Thank you."

Lestrade's thumb brushed her cheek very gently and Kairi's breath hitched slightly. He moved closer to her and she didn't shy away as he bent slightly to press his lips against hers. It was a modest, very sweet kiss that made her stomach flutter just a bit. A warmth spread through her limbs and she placed her hands on his chest as Lestrade intensified the kiss very subtly by taking her bottom lip between his and sucking it gently.

Then he pulled away slowly, smiling softly and brushed his thumb against her skin again. Kairi was smiling nervously at him, honestly not knowing what to do at that point, but tempted to lean back in for more.

Lestrade was searching her eyes for something, but she didn't know what. He smiled again and dropped his hand from her cheek and pulled her in for a hug, kissing the side of her head and inhaling the smell of her hair. "Thank you for a wonderful night Kairi. I hope to do it again."

Kairi pulled back and looked up at Lestrade, his eyes clear and kind, not hiding a thing. "I do too, Greg."

He smiled and nodded and made his way back to the entrance of 221 Baker Street, leaving Kairi to get inside her home alone. She put her key into the lock and walked inside, throwing the latch as she removed her jacket and placed her keys on a hook by the door. She hung up her jacket and she paused, realizing that the light in the room wasn't coming from outside. It took her a moment to realize that her fire was lit and tendrils of fear snaked up her spine until she realized that Mrs. Hudson had mentioned getting her some fire supplies from a friend. Mrs. Hudson knew Kairi was on a date tonight and Kairi believed Mrs. Hudson had started one up just a few minutes before she arrived home, making sure her flat was warm for both Appa and any visitors she may bring around.

She heaved a sigh of relief and flipped on the light by her door.

"Evening."

Kairi let out a blood curdling scream as she turned around and Sherlock Holmes was on her in a flash, placing a hand over her mouth to stop her from shouting and a hand at her lower back, pulling her close to him so she wouldn't falter in her heels and break her neck. His face was close to hers and his eyes were serious and dark, full of some emotion Kairi couldn't identify.

"There's no need to scream." He growled at her.

Once she realized it was him, his hand over her lips and the other pulling her close, holding her against his warmth from the fire he'd been sitting by, she shoved him away. Kairi was breathing heavily and placed a hand over her heaving chest. Appa's tail started thumping from his place by the fire. She shot him a glare, realizing just how useless he was being while Sherlock practically attacked her.

"What the  _fuck_  is your problem!?" She growled at him as he adjusted his suit from being shoved so violently. "What are you doing in my flat?"

Sherlock glared at her, with narrowed eyes and a hard set to his jaw. His dilated and dark eyes were roving over every inch of her body and she suddenly felt self-conscious.

"Your date went well." He said scathingly.

Kairi looked down at herself, only disheveled from her struggle with Sherlock and she glared at him, "Excuse me?" She growled taking a few steps forward, to stop in front of him, but Sherlock was unmoving.

He began to walk around her slowly and Kairi didn't give him the benefit of shifting under his gaze. She stared ahead, trying to feel bored while her heart was frantic in her chest and her stomach felt sour. "Dilated pupils, ever so slightly swollen lips," His voice was thick and deep and it coursed over her and she shut her eyes tightly to ignore him. She felt his breath on her ear, "Goosebumps covering your flushed skin."

Kairi huffed and turned to face him her lips close to his that were inches from her ear only a moment ago, "You just scared the ever-living shit out of me Sherlock, of course my pupils are dilated and my skin is flushed! You practically gave me a heart attack!"

He leaned back, scowling at her, "Did you enjoy it?"

"What? You trying to frighten me to death? Of course fucking not!" She growled at him and pushed him out of her way, "Get the fuck out of my house you psycho! I have absolutely no desire to talk to you right now." She started stomping into her bedroom and kicked off her heels into the open closet with a bang. She was absolutely furious at Sherlock for not only invading her home, but invading her personal and emotional space. She had just gotten home from a lovely night with Lestrade that actually had made her feel confident and this bumbling, insipid fool had to go and ruin it. She stood with her hands on her hips, staring at nothing, and seething until she heard the softest scuffle of his shoes behind her.

She hadn't bothered turning on the light, she was so flustered. So she turned to see him leaning on the doorjamb, his eyes narrowed slightly but not out of anger. She'd say they were hooded, almost sensual, except that Sherlock was a robot. "What do you want?" She spat scathingly.

"I'm not a psychopath." He stated flatly.

"You could have fucking fooled me." She growled at him and reached up to take the pins out of her hair so she could run her fingers through it in frustration. There was always something soothing about her fingers lightly pulling her hair during a panic attack. The quick sensation of pain to refocus.

She felt him behind her, reaching up to grab her hands and spin her around and force her against him, "I am  _not_  a psychopath." He was deadly serious and his breathing was heavier than she had ever seen it, she could feel the depth of his chest expand against her own.

She stared up at him in utter confusion, "Then pray, tell me, what the hell are you doing sitting in my darkened apartment while I was out on a date with Greg?"

He scoffed and practically threw her hands down, "Oh its  _Greg_  now, is it?"

She rolled her eyes, nose to chin with him, "That's his goddamned name, you imbecile! And you didn't answer my question."

His eyes narrowed at her again and she stared back at him impetuously. He let out a ragged breath and his hands snaked up to hold her neck and cradle her face. Where she feared his hands would be rough or angry she was surprised when his touch was tender and gentle on her skin. His finger tips pressed into the flesh of her neck and jaw and it took her too long to realize just what he was doing.

He pulled her lips to his, possessing her mouth and nipping at her lips with his teeth and tongue. Kairi wanted to fight back, she swore that she did, but her body responded quicker than her brain. Her hands pressed against his chest and she gripped the lapels of his suit and brought him infinitely closer, pressing her entire body into his. She felt the twitch beneath his waistline, bulging into her stomach and gasped lightly against his mouth and he pressed in further, his tongue delving in and challenging her own. She dueled against him, tasting his breath, his need, as it set a fire to her system and coursed through her veins. His hand was still holding her neck and head in place, the other had lost itself in her hair, gripping it gently at the roots and titling her head ever so slightly to open her mouth further to him. She moaned against his mouth, feeling his entire body pressing into hers, his passion and fury enveloping her in the chaotic nature of her own desire.

He walked her back towards the bed, until the back of her thighs pressed up against it and they stayed there for a few moments, their mouths clashing and fighting for purchase and dominance. Their breaths were ragged and heavy as they embraced and held each other in place to complete their assault on one another's body.

In Sherlock's mind, he was absolutely possessed by Kairi. He had been consumed by her presence for as long as he could recall knowing her. With his mouth finally pressing into hers, he felt an unfamiliar ache registering in his core, an unwarranted and absolute need for her, her mouth, and her touch. As his fingers splayed across her skull, he trailed them down the back of her neck, his fingertips pressing into the flushed skin and dragging them down between her bare shoulder blades and causing her to shiver in his arms. His lips detached from hers for only a second as he kissed and nipped at her lower jaw, hearing her light and ragged breaths leaving her barely parted lips. He pulled her closer now, pressing against her back, pushing her deeper into his chest as his lips descended upon the rare skin of her neck. His mouth found her pulse and he snaked his tongue over it as he felt her hands forced up and over his shoulders, her fingertips traveling for what seemed like an eternity up his neck and into the curls at the base of his skull. He felt her breasts pressing into his chest and the pit of his stomach dropped completely and he growled as his teeth bit into the sensitive, pulsing flesh. He was delighted to hear her whimper into his ear.

His lower body was almost completely out of control and his hand fell from the side of her face and traced itself down the length of her neck, his fingers tracing the line of her collar bone, and slowed as he grazed the side of her heaving breast, down her stomach and finally to her hip which he grasped, his fingertips tempting to bore holes in the fabric as they pulled her even closer, pressing her body against his need. His fingertips trailed to her lower back and held her in place as he bit and nipped her neck, his breath, his voice, lost inside the taste of her skin and the smell of her utterly encompassing him.

Kairi moaned again as Sherlock held her so close to him that she felt like he would never let go. At some point, the fury and anger had ebbed and been consumed in complete and spastic passion that could not be differentiated between hers and his. Her fingers were in his hair, nails gently scraping the skin as he bit at the base of her neck and her shoulder. The hand at her upper back reached up and tugged at the thick strap of her dress and bra and she felt it stretch against her neck and chest as his mouth claimed that skin as his own.

The backs of her legs were still pressed against the high bed and she felt as if she might topple over. Sherlock sensed her unease, the shift in her feet and pushed one knee between her legs and then his hands and mouth disappeared from her body, much to her chagrin and she frowned as her eyes finally met his in her dimly lit bedroom. The double doors that lead to her room were wide open and the light of the fire was casting enough lumination into the small room so she could see his features. His mouth was open, deep breaths coming out ragged, his face almost completely relaxed, but his eyes almost frantic, with pupils blown wide. She looked down at his mouth and suppressed a giggle, seeing her red lipstick staining his lips and at odd splotches around his mouth.

It didn't take much time as Sherlock inspected Kairi, her hair a voluminous mess, framing her face and shoulders and reflecting the red and orange glow of the firelight. Her pupils were as wide as they could possibly go, her lips, stained with red from their frantic kisses, only seemed to entice him more in this state of disorder. Her chest was heaving, he was pressed up against her and it seemed as though her breasts were threatening to burst free from her dress that he had practically ripped from her.

Kairi couldn't help but smile at Sherlock and he returned a small grin leaning down, almost crouching until his face was even with hers. Kairi leaned forward to capture his mouth again and before she could, she felt his hands slip under the length of her skirt, find purchase on the backs of her thighs as he lifted her, her hands shooting to his shoulders, legs widened and dress hiking up to the tops of her thighs as he sat her on the bed. Though they were at different heights Sherlock now leaned down, his palms flat on the bed on either side of Kairi, closing her in, and she felt herself place her hands behind her, leaning back in response to his body. They were staring at each other in silence, their eyes searching for something in the other's. Permission? Submission? It didn't really matter in the end.

Sherlock's face was level with Kairi's and they remained silent, untouching, just breathing in each other and watching the desire behind their eyes. Sherlock swiftly stood and silently stared down at Kairi. Her chest was starting to heave a little less now and she was staring back at him attentively. She wasn't expectant or demanding, she was simply staring at him, wide-eyed and beautiful, with her mouth a slash of crimson, her hair falling in curls along her shoulder and back, her skirt inched up to the tops of her thighs and her legs spread gently to make enough room for him to stand between them.

Kairi stared up at Sherlock, towering over her, inspecting every inch of her flesh, and inflaming her desire with each flick of his eye. He pulled a handkerchief out of his suit pocket and wiped at his mouth, ridding it of most of the lipstick transferred from Kairi. He reached out, handing it to her and when she looked at him, confused, he thrust it forward slightly, "I want to taste you, not your lipstick."

Kairi's eyes widened and his deep, resonating words sent a burning, rolling shot straight to her core and she accepted his handkerchief and wiped at her mouth as best as the night without a mirror would allow. He watched her during this time and began unbuttoning his suit jacket and peeled it off of his wide shoulders, staring at her the entire time and Kairi felt herself tremble.

She handed him his handkerchief and he took it and placed it back in the suit jacket, folding it delicately and tossing it into the corner of the room. He leaned down again and Kairi felt her body respond to his movements without a thought, making it so it was easier to get closer and his mouth found hers again with ferocity. He picked up right where he left off with his mouth on her and Kairi panted and her arms shook as he attacked her neck and shoulders, teeth clashing against her collar bone.

His right hand found her thigh and he dragged it slowly from the outside in, inching it further and further up her leg to find the apex of her thighs. Kairi whimpered slightly, feeling his fingertips gracing the edges of her underwear and she shut her eyes, trying to drown out the sheer panic of the realization that Sherlock Holmes was the one to make her feel this way.

"Sherlock," She whispered and he hummed against her skin. "Sherlock, please listen."

His fingers pressed into her gently and she gasped and her hand shot out to stop his and he pulled it away, stroking her thigh and continuing his kisses on her neck and jaw with less ferocity. Kairi had to place her hand back on the bed to steady herself. Ferocity from Sherlock she understood, these slow sensual kisses were doing something entirely else to her insides. He placed a gentle, sensual kiss on her lips and gazed into her eyes, "I'm quite proficient at multitasking. Listening to you, kissing you," His eyes skimmed across her flushed skin, "And touching you are quite simple to do all at once."

Kairi bit her lip, moistening it with the tip of her tongue and she saw Sherlock's entire body roll and flex, like a panther ready to pounce. "I-," She gulped, trying to steady her shuddering breath, "I understand that, but I need to be honest with you." He simply nodded, his eyes boring into hers and watching her lips as she spoke, his tongue and teeth taking in his bottom lip and Kairi almost forgot how to breath. She took a deep breath and closed her eyes and then spat it out as quickly as she could, " _I'veneverhadanorgasmduringsexualintercourse_." She held her breath for a beat or two and then opened her eyes to look at Sherlock who was still staring at her and grinning slightly. She frowned at him, "What?"

He raised an eyebrow and smiled, "Its my understanding that the female orgasm is harder to achieve during penetrative sex." Kairi found those words oddly sexy, "I myself have never had an orgasm during sexual intercourse either, though, my experience with sexual intercourse itself is completely null. Relieving myself of sexual tension is a rare occurrence, but I still am, as you say, human." His voice was so low that she could feel it vibrate within her chest and down deep, deep inside her. "I'm sure-," He began as his fingers trailed up to her center, "That with enough experimentation, observation," He placed a thumb against her clitoris and put the slightest bit of pressure on it, gently moving against it as he watched her eyes flutter closed, "And trust, that you and I can have a most fruitful sexual experience."

Kairi felt herself smile, her eyes closed and biting her lip against the sensation of Sherlock touching her. It had been so long, "You sound like a science teacher and its driving me mad. I'm seriously deranged."

She felt Sherlock's hold transfer onto the back of her neck and steady her, "Open your eyes, I need to see how this affects you."

Kairi opened her eyes lazily as his fingers danced upon the cloth of her underwear and she sighed, heavy-lidded and biting the corner of her lower lip as he stared into her eyes, extreme desire and focus tainting his features. He forced her underwear to the side with a slight rip and his fingers met her wetness and Kairi let out a gasping moan and her eyes flew shut at the sensation.

"Open, please." He said, a slight demand to his voice and Kairi did her best to oblige, focusing on Sherlock as his finger played with her clit and ever so gently pressed into her opening, curling inside of her to apply pressure to the approximate location of her g-spot. The heel of his hand pressed against and rubbed her clit with similar pressure and cadence of the finger inside her. She moaned again, shutting her eyes tightly and then forcing them open to look at Sherlock who was rapt with attention his eyes flickering over her features, over her body, to see how she was reacting.

The knowledge itself was in Sherlock's mind to physically manipulate Kairi in a sexual manner, but he wanted to see how it truly affected her. Chemicals and muscle reactions aside, he needed to see her face and look into her eyes as he pressed his finger inside of her, slowly at first and tantalized her skin. He watched as the muscles in her legs and abdomen contracted beneath the cloth of her dress and he wished that she had been naked before him so he could truly witness her body's movement in reaction to sexual stimulation. He listened to her moans and realized quickly that her breaths were a better indicator of his successful manipulation than only the intonation of her vocal chords. Her mouth would fluidly change from smiles and gasps, teeth applying pressure the the plump curves of her lips, involuntarily revealing the depth of his affect on her. He found that a certain pressure against her body and speed of his finger entering her and pressing against the sensitive flesh inside of her caused her hips to respond, curving themselves in response to his touch, his inflection, and his speed. Her wetness increased dramatically when her hips began to respond to him involuntarily. He felt a burning pleasure in his chest and deep in his gut to see that his fingers were causing her body to react so aptly, his body was responding in turn, aching against the fit of his trousers.

He held her neck and shoulder to support her while his fingers played inside of her so he could watch her face and features. Her head would dip back occasionally, exposing her neck and he could see her pulse racing just for him and it made the speed of his fingers increase and she cried out, her hips moving frantically against his hand and one of her hands shot out, gripping his forearm that lead to the hand inside of her, "Please don't stop." She whimpered at him and he happily obliged, pressing his finger into her and refraining from pushing in another to ruin her rhythm. He didn't want to hurt her, as he could tell it had been quite some time since her last sexual encounter. The tightness of her around his fingers was intoxicating.

Her eyes closed again, against his wishes, but he did not vocalize them this time because he could feel the strength of her vaginal muscles tightening around his fingers as her wetness increased again. She was gripping his arm now, writhing in front of him, breathing in shallow, raspy breaths, while her face was a mask of intense pleasure and focus on his touch. He bit his lip, watching as her body's automatic system began to initiate her orgasm, her muscles tightening, her breath almost caught in her chest as he felt the muscles around his finger clamp down, and Kairi let out a shocked yelp of pleasure. He felt a warmth spread entirely over his hand, soaking him and enveloping him in the intoxicating scent of her arousal and her downfall. He stared down at his hand, against her, inside her and his heart beat quickened immeasurably.

He looked up at her, licking his lips and noticed that tears were falling down her cheeks as she gasped and panted, practically slack in his arm, her head staring up at the ceiling, eyes wide and unbelieving, his hand slowed and she whimpered against the sensation and he brought her closer to his face and kissed her gently, "I just want to make sure that you are alright." He whispered against her mouth. Kairi could barely breathe but she nodded, her legs quivering around his hand in tempo with the walls of her vagina pulsing around his finger that was slowing more and more. "Good." He said slowly, deeply and withdrew his hand gently, bringing the finger to his lips, as Kairi's eyes watched him take his finger into his mouth and suck off the juices she had deposited there.

Kairi whimpered watching him. The overwhelming weakness she felt was consuming her, but she could see that Sherlock was not entirely done with her yet. He smiled at her, seeing this revelation in her eyes and she returned his grin. Though her orgasm had been completely overwhelming and shattered her against the wall of her loneliness she leaned forward and grasped Sherlock's shirt and pulled him in for a deep kiss, tasting herself on him. His hands dropped to her sides, steadying himself on the bed.

Kairi willed herself to scoot further back onto the bed, shucking his shoes and he leant into her, she pulled a crawling Sherlock along with her kisses and slowly unbuttoned the shirt still on his body. Once it was undone, Sherlock kneeled between her legs and removed the shirt and returned his mouth to Kairi, kissing her neck and shoulders and she quickly pulled him down on top of her completely, her skirt around her waist at this point. Sherlock rested between her legs and rubbed himself against her, causing her to groan and her legs to shake ever so slightly at his pelvis pressing against hers.

It was her turn to lay her mouth on his body, kissing his neck and chest and he perched himself above her, breathing deeply and trying to maintain control. She took this opportunity to press against his chest and shoulder, rolling him onto his side and then his back, climbing on top of him and straddling his waist. Her dress was completely useless at his point so she pulled Sherlock to sit and guided his hand to the zipper along the back. They kissed and embraced as his fingers pulled down the metal zipper and Kairi did her best to quickly pull it up and over her head and toss it off the bed, leaving her on top of him, in his painfully tight trousers, and her, in only her underwear. The simple, black lace items hugged her curves in a way that made Sherlock's breath hitch and his hands went to touch her skin, letting his fingers grace over her stomach and breasts, his thumbs whispering against her nipples and he saw her eyes close tight with focus on the sensation. She leaned forward, pressing her entire body against Sherlock's skin and he reacted almost as if he were burned, his fingers digging into her hips and back and pulling her closer against him as their lips and tongues tangled in their desperation for taste and passion.

"I must admit, I do not know how long I will be able to keep myself from having an orgasm once I'm inside you." Sherlock murmured against the top of her head as her mouth moved down his neck and chest.

Kairi looked up from her ministrations, smiling, "Who said I was letting you inside me?" Sherlock frowned and Kairi smiled against the smooth and hard skin of his chest, she flicked a nipple with her tongue and she felt his stomach contract beneath her and a sharp intake of breath passed his lips. "I'm not that easy, Sherlock." She said jokingly and Sherlock was about to respond scathingly about her most recent orgasm at his hand until he felt her kisses descend further down his chest and her teeth nip gently at his abdomen.

Kairi guided her hands to his belt buckle and slowly began to undo it as her mouth and tongue played across his skin and she felt his hands move to her hair. She smiled against him, hearing his breathing increase and the muscles of his stomach tense under her touch. She undid the button of his pants and slowly pulled the zipper down and opened his trousers. She bit at his hip bone and she heard him hiss out a breath as she reached her hand into his underwear to touch the smooth skin of his painfully erect penis.

Deciding to be kind, Kairi sat up and helped him shimmy down his pants and tossed them over her shoulder, freeing his erection and he let out an audible sigh when the air of her bedroom graced his skin. Kairi sat on her haunches between his legs, watching Sherlock as she took him into her hand and wrapped her fingers around his length. It wasn't that Kairi was highly experienced or even a highly sexual individual, but something about the dark man lying before her, the reflection of the fire's glow in his eyes as her hands stroked his hardness, made her yearn for his release. She wanted nothing more than to pleasure him and it gripped her rigidly and refused to let go. "Keep your eyes open when you can," She smiled, knowing full well that he may have never had someone go down on him before, "I want you to watch me."

He simply nodded and swallowed as Kairi bent down and took him into her mouth. She felt the slight pressure on the back of her head from his hand and looked up at him, his eyes shut and his mouth making a soft 'Oh' as his hips bucked to meet her lips. He removed his hands from her hair and gripped the sheets by his hips and Kairi realized that he was afraid to be too controlling of her mouth on him. She moved her hair out of his way, so he would be able to watch as she moved her mouth up and down his length, her hands on his thighs and feeling the powerful muscles ripple beneath her fingertips, as she let her tongue undulate across the bottom of the length in her mouth. She could only hear his breathing as she glanced up at him, slowly raising her mouth until just the head of his penis was inside her lips and she swirled her tongue around the tip. She felt his hips thrust up gently as her eyes watched his and she saw him desperately trying to regain focus and control. She smiled at that around the tip of him in her mouth and she decided to torture him just as effectively as he had tortured her. She took his entire length into her mouth, the tip of his penis pressing into the back of her throat in a relatively uncomfortable but tolerable sensation. As quick as she did it she retracted and continued in such a vein, alternating between shallow and deep acceptance of him, his fists clenching at her bed linens, and only his breathing audible. With each lick and stroke of her mouth and tongue, his hips were no longer able to resist moving up to meet her mouth and his abdomen clenched in torrents of pleasure as he growled deep within the back of his throat while Kairi continued her assault. The hand that was resting on his thigh moved up to cup his testicles, kneading and rubbing them gently as her mouth continued to stroke him and she could hear the loud gasp come from his mouth. She looked up again and he was staring back at her, his brow furrowed in pleasure and confusion for the things Kairi was successfully making him feel.

He groaned deeply and Kairi knew that he was close. She did not let up, did not stop pumping her mouth up and down along his length, holding his testicles in her hand and brushing her thumb gently over the sensitive skin. She felt his body stiffen, his testicles tensed in her hand and she felt Sherlock's penis twitch in her mouth right before he let out a guttural groan. His fists, white knuckling the sheets at his side, his hips thrust up off the bed and into her mouth and another groan came, and with it, his release. Kairi took it into her mouth and swallowed easily, sucking slowly and gently until his muscles stopped pumping. When he was done, his body a shuddering mess and his chest heaving, she retracted her mouth slowly and placed a gentle kiss on the tip of his penis and looked up at Sherlock.

He was smiling lazily at her, a hand running through his hair and Kairi crawled back up to him and laid next to him, her hands lazily tracing circles on his chest.

"Though your lingerie compliments you, I find myself feeling odd that I'm the only naked one" Sherlock murmured against her hair line, kissing the skin there.

Kairi chuckled and looked up at him, his face resumed its usual sort of impassive glare, but there was a softness in his eyes Kairi had never seen before. "Well get up off my bed and lets get under the covers. I like to sleep naked anyways."

Sherlock hid a sort of impish grin and stood off the bed with shaky legs and Kairi smiled as she pulled her underwear off of her body. Sherlock watched her hungrily, "Do not mock me. That was my first experience with fellatio."

Kairi rolled her eyes and helped him pull back the sheets so they could lay down, "Do you want to stay here and sleep?"

He looked at her oddly, "I'm rather tired from that exertion." He admitted.

Kairi chuckled, "Of course you are." She climbed into bed as his eyes followed the length of her body and she pulled her covers up, "Well? Get in! This has been one of the longest and oddest days of my life."

Sherlock climbed in and scooted closer to Kairi and they were hesitant to wrap their arms around each other, though they lay naked in post orgasm bliss. They watched each other for a while, the realization of their relationship being completely and utterly changed flashing through their minds. Kairi reached up and touched Sherlock's face, her fingertips gracing his cheekbones, gazing at him intently, and trying to understand exactly just what happened and what it meant for her and her detective. Sherlock's fingers hesitantly reached for the hair draped over her shoulder and he played with the ends, his eyes distant and deep in thought as he stared at the bleached locks.

They laid in a companionable silence, gazing at each other and thinking until they fell asleep.

* * *

__


	20. -20-

Kairi woke up slowly, her eyes fluttering against the light coming in from the Venetian blinds of her small window. The light was at an angle that made her realize it was extremely early in the morning, just a little while after sunrise. She was blissfully naked, sleeping peacefully for the first time in months. Her body had that sort of stiff, luxurious feeling after receiving a quality orgasm. She turned her head, looking towards the other side of the bed and found it empty, except of course for her fluffy dog-beast lying on his back, his head twisted to look at her with his large doggy smile.

"Oh god, please, please, please don't tell me I imagined last night and I had an orgasm from my dog..." She shifted again, glancing around her bedroom, "Oh god, please don't let me be that pathetic." She whimpered and pushed herself up onto her knees and looked around. Her dress was still on the floor in the corner. Her undergarments were strewn across the opposite side of the bed. She reached for her phone but saw no notifications.

She stood slowly, Appa leaping off of the bed and stretching lazily at her side, and padded over to her garments and looked at them closely. There was obvious evidence of her excitement and a ripped seam that she seemed to remember a particular Consulting Detective making in haste. She dropped them on the floor and walked over to her closet and pulled out a maxi dress with a built in bra and slid it over her body, forgoing underwear for the moment. She walked into her front room and looked around the entire expanse. The kitchen was empty, all the chairs were uninhabited, and the fireplace still held some small embers from the raging fire the night before. Her frown deepened and she went back to look in her bathroom and found it empty. She walked further in and stared at herself in the mirror.

Her hair was a mess, scraggily and knotty from sleep and other activities. Her frown was deep and painful so she tried desperately not to focus on it, and her eyes dropped to her mouth, small remnants of the red stain were there and she brought her fingers up slowly to trace the line of her full lips. They were still slightly swollen and felt mildly bruised when she pressed them. Her stomach started to churn pleasantly when her eyes traveled to her neck and shoulders which were exposed by the thin straps of her dress. She gasped slightly, seeing the pale marks left on her skin in small bruised ovals and the shape of teeth along her shoulder. She dropped her face into her hands, the realization that last night was, in fact, real.

Giving him the benefit of the doubt, Kairi took in a shuddering breath and exhaled, "Sherlock?" She said a bit pathetically, hoping that the tears threatening to form would stay away.

There was silence. Complete and utter silence.

She took a deep breath and walked back into her bedroom, pushing down the nausea she felt as she stared at her disheveled bed clothes. She couldn't look at it. She couldn't touch it, not without remembering the night she shared with Sherlock and the unending pain she felt, realizing that he had left her. Her face was back in her hands as her anxiety grew to alarming levels and her chest constricted making it hard to breathe.

She shook her head and tried to dispel her negativity. Sherlock wasn't completely heartless. She knew that he cared for her, even if just a little bit, he wouldn't have been in her home last night if he didn't care. He wouldn't have reacted so drastically to her date with Lestrade if he didn't care at all. She took a calming breath and tried to refocus.

A case! That was it! Sherlock must have been called to a case early in the morning. He must not have wanted to wake her, so he had left as quickly and as quietly as possible. She dropped her hands and noticed something on the floor by her hastily discarded dress. She walked over, squinting her eyes and trying to see just what it was.

It wasn't until she knelt down and picked it up that she realized it was a round black button. It belonged to Sherlock's suit, and she realized with a blush, that it must have fallen off the night before during their more aggressive moments. She stood slowly and grabbed a pair of her fleece lined boots and slipped them on. She pulled out one of her thicker hoodies and wrapped it around herself, placing the button in her pocket and making her way to her door. She paused at the mirror by her entrance and grimaced at the sight of her reflection. She zipped the hoodie all the way up to her neck to hide the love bites and ran her fingers through her scraggily hair to tame it as best she could. She chuckled at her make up and decided to run into her bathroom to quickly swipe away all left over traces with a moist towelette. She put her hair in a loose braid at the base of her neck since it refused to behave. Nodding at herself in the mirror she decided it was good enough since, hopefully, no one would see her.

She left Appa inside her flat, intending to walk up to 221B to leave the button on Sherlock's bedside table. She was sure that when he saw it upon returning he would know exactly who put it there and where it was from. A smile crept onto her face and she bit her lip, chuckling at the idea of Sherlock Holmes blushing because of a simple button. She opened her door and didn't bother locking it or grabbing her keys as she would return quickly after depositing the item.

She climbed the stairs, two at a time and walked quickly over to 221B with a smile on her face. She opened the door, humming to herself and was utterly shocked to see John sitting at his desk typing away at his computer.

He turned and smiled at her widely, "Morning Kairi." He checked his watch, "What's going on, is everything okay?"

Kairi's smiled disappeared instantly, "I -," She exhaled raggedly, "I thought you had a case." She practically whispered.

John, looking concerned, replied, "No. Not that I know of." He frowned a bit and looked to the kitchen, "Sherlock do we have a case or something involving Kairi?"

Kairi's chest constricted and she found it hard to breathe. Her head started to swim when she heard Sherlock behind her.

"No, nothing that concerns her at all." Sherlock replied tonelessly.

John was smiling, "Sorry Kairi, nothing...new." He finished as he watched Kairi's face seem to twist in agony.

Kairi turned and saw Sherlock in the kitchen, sipping at coffee and his eyes glued to a microscope. He was wearing a charcoal suit with a dark purple shirt, perfectly showered, composed, and stonily cold. Her stomach seemed to empty instantly, while also feeling like a five ton weight was pressing against her chest. She tried to hold back the sob pressing against her lips as she walked over to him slowly. He made no movement indicating that he noticed her presence or proximity. She gripped at the front of her sweatshirt and cleared her throat.

"Where were you?" She whispered, glancing over her shoulder to see if John was paying attention.

He made no indication that he intended to answer, or even that he heard her.

Kairi took another step closer and tried again, a little louder, "Where did you go?"

This time Sherlock dropped his head, sighing in extreme annoyance and Kairi bit her lip painfully as he stood to look at her. His eyes were cold and distant, nothing like she had seen since she had known him. His face was completely expressionless and disinterested in her presence. He adjusted his suit, taking his time in silence as she watched him, her body tense and shaking slightly, her eyes blinking slowly and unbelieving.

Who was this man?

"I returned home." He stated simply.

The pain in that simple statement caused Kairi to flinch. It wasn't the words that mattered, it was the tone of his voice. He was completely and utterly bored. There was no inflection, no feeling what so ever and it made Kairi's heart freeze. She took another breath, trying to believe that he was putting on an act for John. "You couldn't have just let me know?"

He rose an eyebrow and looked at her with an air of indignant disbelief, "Why would it concern you?"

Kairi shut her eyes against those words, trying to breathe deep, "Because you spent the night with me." She stated and looked up at him slowly, painfully, "Because of what we did last night." She finished in a whisper.

He smirked and Kairi felt nauseous at the sight. It was a cold, pedantic smirk. His eyes looked pitying and slightly disgusted. Whoever this man was, he was not her friend, and the man she... cared for, Sherlock Holmes.

"I mean, you could have just at least told me you'd be leaving early. I was concerned." She murmured nervously and dropped her eyes to stare at the toes of her boots.

He let out a bark of laughter and then seemed to contain himself, rolling his shoulders as he looked at her as if she were a child, "I've said this already, it doesn't concern you anymore." His voice was laced with disdain.

Kairi shook her head again, trying to wake herself up from this nightmare, "I'm just saying I was worried about you. You're my-," She halted, not sure what the word was for what they did, "Friend."

She heard John shuffle from the other room, most likely coming closer, "Everything all right?"

Sherlock ignored John, dropped his head again, his hands placing themselves behind his back rigidly. He rose his head, almost seeming like he was relieved and letting out a sigh, "And you were a distraction."

Kairi's breath hitched as she stared at the floor, feeling like an idiot. She couldn't understand what he just said. She couldn't understand how he could say that.

"One that has, now, been removed." His voice was deep, serious, and calculated.

Kairi gripped at her chest. "Excuse me?" She whispered, looking back up at him, "What's wrong with you?" She gasped, her voice shaking.

Sherlock took a step back and started looking at his microscope again, "You were a distraction Ms. Aria one that plagued me for the recent months." His adept fingers played over the microscope, fine tuning it to specifications for the next slide, "After last night's experiment, I no longer am distracted as I once was."

"What's going on?" John tried to interrupt again, not quite hearing what was being said, but he could see just how defeated Kairi looked. Her shoulders were hunched and tense. With every word Sherlock said, her body reacted as if she were being beaten. She'd twitch and curl into herself further, making herself seem smaller the longer Sherlock spoke.

"Last night was an...experiment?" Kairi asked, shocked. Her heart had finally bottomed out.

Sherlock sighed again, further annoyed it seemed, "Yes, an experiment. My mind has been especially foggy since you came into my life." He looked up at her with his dead eyes, "I found it was easier to process information while around you. Because of that I chose to be in your company more and more." He sounded so bored and Kairi's stomach wouldn't stop turning, "I realized it was because I found you attractive, Ms. Aria. I rarely meet someone who is enticing enough to actually distract me from my work. When this does happen, as I told you last night, I relieve excess tension, but in this case, I was unsuccessful. When I had this realization, I knew that I must neutralize the distraction so I may continue my work."

Kairi stared at him in disbelief. There was a high-pitched, crazy laughter echoing in 221B Baker Street and it took Kairi approximately thirty seconds to realize it was coming from her own mouth.

"Hullo? Everything all right? I heard Appa barking I was wondering if you'd seen -," Ms. Hudson came through the open front door after knocking and turned the corner to the kitchen, "Oh." She glanced at Kairi and Sherlock and then to John who was just as clueless as she was.

Kairi took a deep breath, exhaling shakily as tears began to form in her eyes, "Neutralize the distraction?!" It came out shrill and unstable. "That's what you're calling what you did to me last night? Neutralization?" Her throat tightened on the last word, her body felt absolutely cold.

"Yes, that's correct." He said in a manner that indicated she was an idiot.

Kairi started laughing hysterically again, tears brimming in her eyes. She dropped her face in her hands feeling absolutely insane. She looked up at him again, his eyes seemed to narrow as he looked at her without emotion. "You fucking liar!" She shouted and threw herself at him.

"SHERLOCK!" John bellowed at him as Kairi lunged.

Sherlock grabbed her forcefully and turned her, pushing her up against the fridge and holding her there tightly, but distantly. Her entire body wracked with her sobs, her arms lashing out and trying to hit him, but he held her still, unmoving, uncaring, just staring at her with his dark, empty eyes as she cried and cried and cried. Her sweatshirt had un zipped slightly and her shoulder was bare and cold, the grip of Sherlock's hand on her arm wasn't tight, but it still hurt. In fact, it seemed to burn.

She felt the weight of Sherlock being removed and she continued to cry as her body suddenly felt like it weighed five times its original amount. Her legs slowly buckled and she slid down the fridge, barely registering that John had grabbed Sherlock and shoved him into the cabinets on the other side of the room.

"What is wrong with you!?" John yelled at him and then knelt down to help Kairi up.

She took a deep shuddering breath and wiped at her face, shrugging off John's attempts to help her stand. With the aid of the fridge she stood herself up, trying to calm her breaths, trying to keep her diaphragm from hiccuping after her sobs. She kept her head down and slapped at John's hands as he tried to steady her.

That was when John saw the state of her neck and he looked at Sherlock who had the audacity to look ashamed and pained for only a second. "What -," John began.

Kairi zipped up her jacket and pushed past John. He called out to her, but she didn't listen. She couldn't stop. Her entire body burned with shame and embarrassment. Mrs. Hudson had the grace to get out of her way even though Kairi didn't spare her a glance as she walked out of 221B. She stomped down the stairs as quickly as she could, gaining momentum and heading for the exit. She practically threw the door open and stumbled onto the street and chose a random direction and began walking as quickly and as steadily as her wobbily legs would allow.

She kept crying, trying to hold in her sobs to keep random strangers from staring at her. She didn't need any more attention. She didn't want anyone to see her. She wanted to disappear. She began shivering uncontrollably and it was only then that she realized she was walking in a torrential downpour in nothing but a flimsy maxi dress and a relatively thin hoodie. She pulled up said hood and wrapped her arms around herself, shivering and crying, as she walked down a thankfully empty street.

She absolutely could not believe what had just happened. Her chest felt like it was caving in. The weight of her shame and self-hatred was absolutely debilitating as she wandered aimlessly in the rain. Sherlock Holmes, the brilliant Consulting Detective was a manipulative monster. The friendship she had been cultivating and treasuring for the past few months was a complete lie and it broke her heart. As much as she wanted to hate him, to feed him to ravenous wolves, the deepest, darkest, and most incapacitated piece of her heart knew that she loved him. She loved him desperately and it was tearing at the fabric of her reality.

After so much time hurting and alone, she finally found a place where she felt happy and at peace. What Sherlock had done, how he had inserted himself into her life and tore it apart from the inside, was something that Kairi did not think she could tolerate. He had smoked her cigarettes. He had instigated ridiculous conversations. He had asked her opinion on important matters. He looked at her and he smiled, what she thought were genuine smiles. He put his hands on her to comfort her, to console her. He had spoke of trust when he never even had the slightest idea of the word's meaning. She had let herself fall in love with this impossible man and now she was suffering for it. Her entire life had been spent holding people at a distance, fearing relationships, and hiding away from the world until she met Sherlock Holmes. He had pulled her into this mystical life with ideas of friendship and companionship and adventure. He had let her care about Molly and John and Lestrade. Sherlock Holmes had planted himself inside her mind and inside her heart like a virus. He was eating away at her from the inside, stripping her of her sanity.

The worst part of the pain wasn't that Sherlock didn't return her affections. She knew he wouldn't and its why she had buried it so desperately deep within her mind. It wasn't that Sherlock acted like her friend and lead her to believe that he cared for her. It honestly didn't even hurt to be thought of as just some object to slake his sexual appetite, even barely human monsters have needs.

What hurt was the way he spoke to her. What hurt was how he looked at her like he could see right through her.

Sherlock Holmes had made her feel like she was nothing, like she was invisible, that she didn't deserve to matter.

Kairi was choking back sobs as she walked through the streets becoming more and more soaked with each shattering breath. She could barely feel her extremities and her steps seemed to be stunted, jagged. Every part of her hurt and shook with debilitating vigor. Her teeth were chattering and she could barely cry anymore, she honestly couldn't tell what were her tears and what was the rain.

Not so long ago she could have sworn she saw the sun rise.

"What in the hell was that?!" John shouted as Kairi disappeared. He glared at Sherlock who looked like an empty shell. He was leaning against the cabinets behind him looking lifeless and limp, as if someone had removed his skeleton.

Sherlock was staring at the spot Kairi had been standing, his mouth a thin line, his eyes wide and disbelieving.

"Sherlock!" John shouted and Sherlock flinched. John couldn't remember the last time, if ever, he had seen Sherlock flinch. His eyes looked up at John, wet around the rims and only slightly reddened. "What the fuck is happening? What did you do to her!?" He grabbed Sherlock and yelled.

John was seeing red, the man, his absolute hero, had just intentionally destroyed an undeserving human being, his defenseless friend. Kairi had done nothing but love this stupid and soulless idiot. In that moment, he had hatred for Sherlock Holmes for the first time in his life. He shoved Sherlock back into the cabinets and Sherlock rebounded against the pliant wood and they began to tussle.

Mrs. Hudson let out a cry of dismay watching as John laid into Sherlock and he barely resisted.

John's fists connected with Sherlock, first in the gut which doubled him over. John was tossing Sherlock around like he was a rag doll, despite the fact that Sherlock was much larger than him. John grabbed Sherlock by the lapels and stood him up and laid a punch into his face and Sherlock fell back into the cabinets again with a split cheek. One more punch connected to Sherlock's nose and let loose a sickening crack that seemed to reverberate though 221B.

"Oh stop it!" Someone screamed and John turned to see Molly looking frantic and Mrs. Hudson standing behind her with tears streaming down her face and her hands covering her mouth in sadness. Sherlock went limp against the cabinets and slid down to the ground.

"What are you doing?" Molly ran over to the empty Sherlock and pressed a towel to his bleeding and bruised face. "John, what's gotten into you?"

John shook his head, "I'm sorry." He said specifically to Molly and Mrs. Hudson, staring at Sherlock with utmost disgust. "You-," John started, swallowing the rage and the sadness welling up in his chest, "You ask him." He stated vehemently and turned on his heel, weaving around Mrs. Hudson with great speed, grabbing his jacket and running out of the door.

Molly watched in absolute shock as John left without another word. She had never, in her entire time of knowing John and Sherlock, see them fight in this manner. They had tussled before, usually out of frustration, but she had never seen John in such a rage and Sherlock in such a pitiful, emotional state.

She looked at Sherlock and pulled away the towel, his nose jutting at an obvious broken angle with blood oozing from it and a split and swelling cheek. His eyes looked sadder than she had ever seen. "What have you done?"

Sherlock spat blood to the side, his eyes looked tired, he looked defeated, "I'm keeping my promise." He dropped his head in absolute shame.

John was running through the streets of London, through the horrible London rain. He was absolutely freezing, huffing the frozen air painfully as he sprinted around trying to see where Kairi would have gone. She was wearing half what he was and he knew he had to find her immediately before she started going into shock.

He was absolutely fuming as he headed towards Regents Park. She had not been gone long and he knew that she loved it there, it was the most logical of illogical scenarios that played in his head. She had taken Molly and John on a picnic near a fountain once. She loved the damn fountain because it made her laugh. It was a grotesque sort of beautiful with a large merman blowing water out of a conch shell and straight into the air. He had sort of mermaids at his feet and fish surrounding him also spewing water. She just found it hilarious and couldn't explain why. Even Sherlock had showed up for a few minutes to berate their boring levels of humanity and Kairi convinced him to have a sandwich. The fucking idiot.

His eyes were searching the expanse of the streets wildly, hoping against all hopes that he could reign in the havoc his mindless friend had just caused.

He knew - every single part of him knew - that Kairi and Sherlock shared a special relationship. He had spent many nights talking with Sherlock in stunted and vague terms about the girl who came into his life and shifted it so completely. He knew that Sherlock, in his own underdeveloped way, cared for Kairi deeply and it scared the piss out of him. He had watched the detective's barely controlled rage after Kairi had been attacked and Sherlock tasked the police with finding the perpetrator before he could ensure the attacker would never see a courtroom. John had gone to bed many nights, bidding Sherlock a decent evening as he stared and stared at the files he had collected about Kairi's life. He had woken up hours and hours later to see Sherlock still studying the files in order to find a connection between the attacks and her past. John had been there while Kairi had been living in their home. Sherlock would make coffee every morning, just enough for two - and John didn't enjoy drinking coffee so he knew it wasn't for him. During those weeks there was food in the fridge and an alarmingly low amount of body parts strewn about their home. He had seen Sherlock respond to Kairi's nightmares as best as he could at the time. Many nights John had walked over to find the idiotic detective sitting on the ground, his head leaning against the wall and sleeping right outside his own door where the girl inhabited his bed. John had seen the way Sherlock had looked at Kairi every time she wasn't paying attention. The detective's eyes would rove her face, not for any reason other than just to take it all in. He had seen Sherlock's breath hitch when Kairi would walk into a room or the way his mouth would twitch with a withheld smile when he would make her laugh. He had watched his friend morph into this person who would move silently across the room just to position himself closest to Kairi. He had seen the way Sherlock hid his chuckles at her horribly intolerable puns. John even had been privy to watching Sherlock while they were at the mental institution's security room, watching the live video of Kairi talking to her mother. John had seen just how fast Sherlock had run from the security office when her mother started attacking her, so he could get to Kairi in time to catch her as she fell out of the room and into his arms. John had seen the shame on Sherlock's face after Kairi had left just a few moments ago. It was soul crushing shame that made John despise him. Sherlock was just about as in love as Sherlock could get.

As John approached Regent's park at breakneck speed, sweat and rain falling into his eyes and clouding his vision as he took the familiar path to find the fountain. He circled it, halfway around, and spotted Kairi.

He let out a relieved cry that she didn't hear and he ran over to her. She was sitting in the grass, her knees up against her chest and her arms wrapped around them, her hooded head resting against her knee caps. Her body was shaking from sobs and the cold.

John was breathing hard as he stood in front of her. He had to shout over the sound of the rain and the fountain, "You know I punched him!"

Kairi looked up and John's heart just about broke. She was shivering, her eyes were red, and she looked so very tired.

"I broke his nose!" He shouted again and he was absolutely overjoyed to see her lip twitch gently.

"I think he likes it when people do that." She shouted back and he saw a violent tremor take over her body. "You should have slept with him, evidently that's the only proper way to get him to hate you!"

John's eyes widened at her brashness, "So you did? You and he..?" He let that trail off as he walked over to her and sat next to her in the mud, letting himself get soaked right along with her.

Kairi slightly shrugged, "Sort of. Not all the way." She glanced at John, "He's still a stupid virgin, technically."

John tried not to chuckle at her, "You know he's really the dumbest genius I've ever met."

Kairi shook her head, "He has no heart, John. I can't believe I-," She put her face in her arms again and her shoulders began shaking.

John reached over and wrapped his arm around her and pulled her into him. She leaned into him and let herself cry some more. John comforted her as much as he possibly could. He was almost as hopeless as Sherlock in these matters, but not entirely, "I'm not going to pretend that what he did wasn't the worst possible thing to do, because it pretty much was. Its why I broke his nose. Pretty badly too." He glanced at Kairi and he saw her smile gently and he started laughing. "I may have nicked a rib as well." He felt her laugh slightly. "He does care for you."

Kairi's smile disappeared and she shook her head, "Why should I believe that? What could possibly make me think that he is not the worst and most detestable human being I've ever met?"

John bit his lip and tilted his head up into the rain for a moment and Kairi watched him thinking. She was so cold and so empty, there was nothing that could make her believe in Sherlock Holmes. Nothing.

John dropped his head and wiped a hand down his face, "I've never told you about when Sherlock faked his death."

Kairi shook her head and looked at him and watched as John's face seemed to crumble. She recognized the shortness of breath, the kind of breathing that hits you when your chest begins to constrict and panic settles in deep.

"He did it for us, you know." He looked at her sadly. "For me and Mrs. Hudson and Lestrade. Molly helped him do it." He paused and looked sad, "I can't even tell you how. I still don't get it entirely. I saw him, on the roof-," He paused as his voice caught on the words and the emotions, "He called me while he was on the ledge. Told me everything was a lie." He shook his head, "He told me the stories of Richard Brook were all true and that he was a fraud and it broke my heart." John seemed to shudder and Kairi reached out to hold his hand. He took it in his hand and squeezed, "I watched him fall. I saw him flailing his fucking arms in the air as he dropped from the top of Bart's." He let out a choked sob, "I ran for him, you know. As if I could do a damn thing, I ran to him, screaming after him as he fell." He paused and looked at Kairi, "It was real. Him falling." Kairi stared at him confused. "I heard him hit the pavement and I saw his lifeless eyes. Clear as fucking day!" He almost laughed at that and nodded to Kairi, "That damn madman would rather kill himself than let harm come to one of us."

Kairi began shaking her head, "That's not me, though. He loves you all John, you're his family."

John looked up into the rain again, no signs of letting up. He continued, "That's what you're not seeing Kairi! He would deny himself life in order to make sure that the people he cared about were safe."

Kairi glared at him, "I still don't understand! I don't matter to him!" She shouted vehemently over the rain.

John shook his head, "He is so damn afraid! He is terrified of what happens when people come into his life. Its why he keeps people distant. He knows he will always have a target on his back. Always! He would rather risk being alone for the rest of his life, he would risk breaking your heart, he would risk you hating him for the rest of your natural life and more. He would risk breaking his own heart and losing you forever if it only meant that you would be safe from him."

Kairi looked at John and saw the absolute, pure truth in his eyes. She wanted to shake her head, she wanted to run away and leave Sherlock Holmes behind. She wanted nothing more than to stick weights in her pockets and walk into the ocean and let the sea have her. She wanted to hate Sherlock Holmes, but she couldn't.

She shook her head, "How do you do it? How can you forgive him for that?"

John almost chuckled, "He doesn't know any better. He's a fucking idiot."

Kairi let out a huge guffaw at that and her and John shared a hefty amount of laughter for quite a few minutes. There they were sitting in front of Triton's fountain, in a monsoon, laughing hysterically to dissipate their sadness and their pain caused by a man who loved others so much he was willing to literally destroy himself to keep them safe. After a few minutes the cold started to penetrate and they both began shivering again.

"I'm not going to tell you what to do, but I'm going to tell you what to do." John smiled and Kairi nudged him as they shivered together, "We need to go back to Baker Street and you need to forgive him. You need to forgive him for being scared and being an idiot. The last time he openly loved someone, they were used as bargaining chips." He pointed at himself. "The man is scared Kairi and he loves you in the dysfunctional way Sherlock Holmes does. I'm not going to tell you it will be easy, loving him back. Its impossible most days. He's infuriating and dramatic and selfish and ignorant. But in the end he is also the most brilliant, the most caring, and the most human man I have ever met." John choked back a sob at that.

Kairi blinked past her tears and threw herself at him, hugging him tightly in the pouring rain.

She wasn't so sure that she could forgive Sherlock Holmes. She didn't think she had the courage of John Watson. What would be better, what would be easier, is if she simply walked away before anyone else got hurt.

Sherlock was still sitting on the floor of the kitchen, his face was throbbing and still bleeding rather profusely. Molly was holding a towel to his face rather begrudgingly. He didn't know how long they had been sitting there. He wasn't paying attention to the time and his internal clock had ceased ticking the moment he woke up this morning and decided to leave Kairi in her bed.

He hadn't moved since John had left and he really had no desire to do so. He felt emptier than he had felt in a long time. The dark hole that resided in his chest that he filled with knowledge and adventure and uncertainty was widening to the point where he didn't think he would be able to control it. The last time he had felt this empty, he woke up in a gutter with a needle in his arm with Lestrade standing over him.

Breathing hurt. Blinking hurt. Everything hurt.

For the first time in his life, his mind was completely and utterly quiet and he didn't care.

He almost laughed at that, if it didn't pain him.

For the first time ever, he didn't care if he had a case, he didn't care about solving a problem. He didn't care at all, and he absolutely meant it this time.

He glanced at Molly who was staring at him and trying to figure out what had happened. He was thankful she hadn't asked any more questions and just concerned herself with staunching his bleeding face. Head wounds always bled more profusely than others, though most of the time they were incredibly superficial.

His eyes found Mrs. Hudson, still staring at him, holding her mouth, as tears dripped down her cheeks, and shaking her head. She looked ashamed of him.

He closed his eyes and let out a ragged breath. He would turn it all off. He would pull back into himself. He had resigned to shutting down that part of himself completely and never thinking of her ever again. He had the ability to delete things from his hard drive, though it was usually pointless information. This would take a little extra work. He closed his eyes and wanted to sleep very badly.

He would do it. He would protect her. He would forget her.

"All right then?" A voice came from the doorway and broke Sherlock from his reverie.

"What's happening? Why are you so wet? You're covered in mud!" Molly said, "Is everything all right? He only said he was keeping his promise." She continued, "He hasn't said another thing since."

John shook his head, smiling ruefully, "I knew it, you clot." He grumbled and walked over to Sherlock who was sitting on the floor against the cabinet John had knocked him into. He knelt down and nodded to Molly, "Let me see it." Molly gingerly removed the towel from Sherlock's nose and John seemed to assess it quickly, "S'not so bad." He nodded at Sherlock who didn't react. John placed his hands on the side of Sherlock's face, his thumbs slowly went to either side of the break on Sherlock's nose. "On three." John muttered Sherlock realized what was happening far too late. His eyes widened, "1..."

CRACK!

A blinding white light flashed in front of Sherlock's eyes as John snapped his nose back into place and he let out an inhuman howl that only exacerbated the possible fracture in his rib.

"You said three!" He growled at Watson who smiled very cheekily.

"That's for Kairi, you tit." John grumbled.

Sherlock suddenly felt a slap on his shoulder that shocked him and he looked at Molly who was fuming.

"What did you do to her that made John this mad at you!?" She growled and went to slap his shoulder again.

"He's trying to protect me." Kairi said solemnly from the kitchen doorway.

Sherlock's breath froze in his chest as he took in every inch of her. She was sopping wet. Her hair was plastered against her, the braid it was in not so long ago, had come undone, and the soaked tendrils now curled over her shoulders and stuck to her face and neck. Her clothes clung to her skin in a desperate fashion. She was splattered with a large amount of mud, the bottom half of her skirt was practically caked with it. She was shivering uncontrollably, the sweatshirt soaking and drooping off of her body because of the new weight of it, exposing her shoulder and a breast. The painfully erect nipple was threatening the thin fabric of her dress and Sherlock realized that she was not wearing anything underneath it. He inhaled tightly, causing him a large amount of pain and then calmed himself as she stared at him with pity in her eyes.

Kairi stared at him as he struggled. She shook her head as she walked over to him and knelt down to be face to face with him. She saw the slightest bit of panic and sadness in his eyes and she dropped her head and sighed.

John reached over and tapped Molly, signaling her to leave them alone and he took her hand and guided her down to Mrs. Hudson's home for tea.

Kairi looked up at Sherlock just in time to see a single tear fall down his cheek and she smiled at him sadly and wiped it away with her thumb. He seemed to lean into her touch, just barely.

"You know," She sighed and grabbed his hand, astonishing him completely, and helped him stand, "Next time, if you want to tell me you have feelings for me, you could just get me breakfast in bed." She shifted and grunted under his weight, "Or a nice card."

Sherlock had no response. He just kept staring at her.

She chuckled lightly, "You hurt me a lot Sherlock, saying those things." She sighed and looked back up to him as she guided them to his bathroom. "But John explained. He helped me understand you a little more."

She sat him on the toilet and closed the door, he was still silent, just watching as she walked over to his medicine cabinet and pulled out some pain killers and handed them to him. With a grimace he swallowed the pills dry and then watched her as she walked over to the shower and turned it on. The cold day made it so the bathroom almost instantly starting filling up with steam.

She approached him again and signaled for him to stand. He did so without a word and she began to unbutton his shirt. He tried to stop her but she shot him a menacing glare and so he dropped his hands and let her continue. She slid the shirt off and over his shoulders, pulling it gently down his arms and tossing it aside. She went for his pant's buckle and began the process of unzipping them. Sherlock felt guilty for being aroused at the sight of her hands on the waist band of his pants and so he closed his eyes tightly, trying to quash any residual feelings.

Kairi gave a knowing smirk as she undid his pants and began sliding them down his hips noticing the beginnings of his erection. She tried not to laugh at him, knowing that it would make him horribly embarrassed and so she just sighed and got him to step out of the pants. She stood and tossed them by his shirt. He opened his eyes and looked at her with a slightly sad expression, which she assumed meant that Sherlock, was indeed, quite distraught.

He reached out to her in that moment and she let him, even though he hesitated. She nodded at him to continue and so his hands unzipped her sweater and let it plop to the floor with a splash. She was shivering again and she looked up to see Sherlock look at her, concerned and sad. His hands found the tiny straps of her dress and he peeled it from her shivering, bumpy skin and helped her step out of it.

They stood in front of each other, completely naked. The comparison of last night to this morning was brutal and savage and they both felt it: the fear.

Kairi gave him a sad smile, "Come on." She reached out her hand and he took it and they got into the almost violently hot spray.

It stung as Kairi gingerly cleaned Sherlock's cuts and bruises with a washcloth, ridding him of blood and broken skin. Sherlock just stared at her the entire time she did so, watching as she stopped shivering and color returned to her features.

After she finished cleaning his face, she reached down to get some shampoo to wash her hair but Sherlock's hand shot out and grabbed her wrist. They were silent for a few moments and just stared at each other searching each other's eyes desperately for some sort of easy answer.

Finally, Sherlock spoke, "I'm so sorry."

Kairi dropped her shaking head, gave him a begrudging smile and chuckled lightly. She looked back up at him and nodded gently, "I know."

With that Sherlock slowly pulled her into his arms and she wrapped her arms around his waist. They just held each other in the steamy spray until the water lost its warmth to their embrace.


	21. -21-

A few days had passed since Kairi and Sherlock's massive fight and reconnection. She had stayed with him that day, in an eerie silence that permeated 221B Baker Street. Sherlock remained deep in thought most of the day while Kairi got him ice packs for his bruising face and pain killers for his ribs.

John was happy to discover that he had not, in fact, broken Sherlock's ribs, but he had taken the time to patch him up and further set his nose to ensure the detective's face would heal appropriately.

Sherlock was moderately distant to Kairi in front of everyone else and it hurt Kairi just a little, but every time she looked at him and he'd glance at her, she'd remember just how different Sherlock Holmes really was from everyone else. She held onto what her sister had said to her about going after the normal men and being sorely disappointed in relationships. Sherlock Holmes was not normal, not one bit.

Kairi could form small attachments, but rarely keep them. This new family she fell into seemed to understand her on a level others did not. All of them had been faced with loss and death and emotional tragedy on a level Kairi could empathize with. Even Sherlock Holmes, whose dark eyes betrayed him, knew of these painful things. He just dealt with them differently than other people. He was able to dispose of sentiment and pain for the most part, but she knew that he did actually feel these things, if only for a fleeting moment. She could vividly remember the single tear that fell from his cheek when he was looking at her, covered in his own blood and broiling in shame. She reached out to him then and she refused to take back that sentiment. She would always be there for Sherlock Holmes, because she loved him.

She had no fantastical ideas of love changing the detective, of turning him into some sentimental and romantic idiot. Kairi was pretty sure she didn't even want him to do so. She was still trying to figure out what she needed from Sherlock Holmes to feel confident in their new relationship. There was no definition or terms of endearment to define what they had and she felt a little scared of that fact. She didn't think being his  _girlfriend_  was really the idea either. They shared a connection, emotional and physical, that she treasured greatly. She understood that Sherlock also held some sort of importance to her role in his life, but she wasn't quite sure what it was. She didn't know if he or she could call it love.

After that initial day, she had given him some space, for she also needed to think about what was happening. She wasn't exactly looking into the future, of where it could possibly be headed, but she wanted to understand what was happening now. She knew that playing the sort of games people play in relationships would not work well with Sherlock Holmes. She knew that she didn't respond well to them either. Passive aggressiveness, faux-selflessness, and manipulation was not something she tolerated from anyone - especially someone she was supposed to trust. She was prepared for fights, harsh words, his annoying ignorance, and her fiery stubbornness to interfere with their connection to each other, but as always, she had confidence, that no matter how angry they seemed to get at each other, they could separate and come back together over a cigarette, look into each other's eyes and find forgiveness. Its not that they wouldn't be angry or find hurt resting in the pit of their hearts, but their connection, and at least her love for him, would never make it possible withhold that sentiment. There would always be love and forgiveness between Kairi and Sherlock Holmes and it was terrifying.

She was back at work today after her America trip and her chaotic night and day with Sherlock Holmes. She was happy and pained to see that she had a stack of work that needed to be completed yesterday. It was nice to throw her attention into something that did not require much emotional thought. The past few days held enough of that to stave off any further need for it throughout the rest of her life.

She was going through security protocols for Mycroft's little band of brilliant misfits, ensuring that no information was seeping out of unwanted channels - or at least, unplanned information. It was a delicate process working for what seemed like the underbelly of the government. She had been burdened with a lot of knowledge that she did not actually desire. Things, that if released, may shake communities to their core and bring them crashing down. It gave her a burgeoning amount of respect for her father and her ancestors who had volunteered their lives to the armed forces, sometimes performing necessary evils in order to protect the people they loved and the people that sometimes didn't even deserve it.

She did not blindly follow the government and accept that it was without fault, but her job and the heavy paycheck each week did deposit a decent amount of shame in her heart. The realization was crushing, knowing just what kind of things happened every single day that had to be mitigated and neutralized so people could go on enjoying their pints and crisps without a care in the world. Her heart ached slightly for Mycroft, the weight of the world seemed to rest on his shoulders, or at least, the weight of Great Britain. She knew it could not possibly be in better hands though. Where Sherlock was bright, intelligent, and fierce, he had this aspect of his personality that was wild and chaotic and he relished doing what he pleased. Mycroft, however, seemed to only be phased by his brother. Other than Sherlock, Mycroft had perfect, steely control. It astounded her.

This afternoon was flying by and she was on a roll, listening to heavy electronic music through her headphones that kept her focus on the job at hand. It was surprising just how much could go wrong each and every day in a computer terminal. There was an unending surge of people who desperately tried to hack into restricted government information. There was usually a list of what could and could not be leaked in order to allow the populace some sort of comfort in thinking they had the power to keep the government in check. It seared her gut, realizing just how untrue that was, but in the end, she had a very good job for a very good man who was devoted to the greater good. He was powerful, but only seemed to flaunt it to get a rise out of Sherlock, he did not seek out power for the sake of his own ego (much to Sherlock's chagrin). Mycroft, was very much a devoted man of the law and he actually had a pretty profound respect for humanity - or at least, humanism.

Someone tapped on Kairi's shoulder causing panic to well in her chest and come out in a squeak as she jumped, ripping out her headphones and turning to see Mycroft standing at the edge of her desk. She smiled weakly at him.

"Its good to see you so focused on your work." He muttered in a bored fashion.

Kairi nodded, "Yes well, it keeps me busy."

They were silent for a bit and she could see a look of distaste tickling at the corners of Mycroft's eyes. His face was still set in its usual blank sort of stare and he seemed to let out a sigh. He nodded to Kairi and she just sort of stared at him expectantly, wondering what she may have done to deserve her boss's attention.

"Can I do anything for you?" She said nervously, not hoping to imply that Mycroft needed help in any fashion.

He nodded slowly, "I wish for you to accompany me for tea."

Kairi's eyes threatened to pop out of her head and she slowly nodded, speechless. Mycroft motioned for her to stand and join him and she did so, gulping back her absolute terror. She was silently praying to a God she didn't believe in that her worth to Sherlock Holmes was enough to dissuade his brother from terminating her employment - or life, for that matter - because of some small mistake. She was wringing her hands as subtly as she could imagine, trying to keep her panic from bursting out of her eyes in the form of tears. She really had a poor sense of coping with stress: Cigarettes and tears.

"Ms. Aria, I do not wish to alarm you." He stated flatly as they continued down the hall, Kairi shaking like a chihuahua and barely breathing.

"If I may be frank, you're doing a very poor job of that." She said shakily and saw a very small twitch of his lips in the semblance of a smile.

They reached his office after some very painful silence and he opened the door and gestured for her to go in first. She sort of closed her eyes and tensed her body, waiting for a bullet or an explosion to wipe her from the earth, but nothing happened. She stood still as Mycroft walked around her sighing in annoyance. She opened one of her eyes, fearful and watched as he approached a small table, sitting next to a fireplace where tea had been set. She kept her mouth shut about her distaste for tea. Right now, she'd drink strychnine if it meant Mycroft would be somewhat pleased with her.

"Please, come and sit." He motioned again for the large, over stuffed chair sitting opposite its identical twin. She walked carefully over to it, hoping to keep her feet from running in the opposite direction.

She gave a sigh of relief as she sat down, glad her body remained under the control of her frontal lobe and not under that of her amygdala, which was desperately trying to get her to flee.

"As you know Sherlock and important persons in his life are under my surveillance and my protection." Mycroft began, pouring tea for Kairi and for himself. Kairi's eyes widened but she tried to keep the horror from her face as she imagined Mycroft's surveillance on herself. Of course, she'd be an idiot to think that as his employee, he wasn't perfectly aware of every movement she made. She started to panic again. How many times had she walked around naked? How often did she dance in the kitchen while making food? When did this surveillance start in her new home? Had he been witness to the entire, messy, and dramatic episode that occurred this past weekend? A tiny, panicked whine escaped her lips and she shuddered. She felt very stupid indeed. "It has come to my attention that your relationship with my brother has escalated."

Kairi cleared her throat nervously, "If that's what you want to call it." She muttered under her breath and Mycroft almost looked amused. "Does this affect my employment?"

Mycroft watched her for a moment, observing her with narrowed eyes and Kairi tried desperately not to wilt under his gaze. He sighed after a few moments of silence and Kairi jumped slightly. He tried not to smile and reached out to hand Kairi a cup of tea which she took with shaking hands. She put it to her lips and took a slow sip, pleasantly surprised. Maybe she was just drinking the wrong tea. She hazarded a glance to Mycroft who was staring down at his cup for a moment, thinking, and she wondered just where super-spy-government-officials got their tea from and why it tasted pretty damn good.

He cleared his throat and it took everything in Kairi not to drop her tea cup. She gripped it with fierceness to keep her hand from shaking as he glanced up at her.

"Should it affect your employment?" He said with little inflection.

Kairi thought about it for a moment. Sherlock did have a way of disrupting life. She did enjoy this job though, managing to help in covert ways. She did have a bit of respect for Mycroft - she couldn't do this job if she didn't - and she realized that she did want to keep doing what she was doing. She was actually applying her degrees and her intelligence. She was no longer just mindlessly plugging away for a paycheck at jobs far beneath her experience. She enjoyed the challenge Mycroft presented her. She didn't want to lose it, but she also refused to lose Sherlock.

She looked back up at Mycroft, a steely reserve now planting itself firmly in her belly, "No. It shouldn't." Mycroft's mouth twitched in a smile as he sipped his tea. "But I refuse to be some sort of bargaining chip between you two. I'm far too intelligent and useful to be as leverage when you two start having your pissing contests. I enjoy this work, a lot. But I also love your brother," Mycroft stared at her, actually shocked and unable to hide it for a few seconds, "I wont be used by you to manipulate him, but I also wont bend to my feelings for Sherlock Holmes to sacrifice you. You're my boss. I respect that. If we keep work professional and my home life personal we wont have any problems." She stared him down, the fearful girl just a moment ago seemed to have found her spine and she cleared her throat to sip some tea.

Mycroft had a twinkle in his eye that she hoped was appreciation, "That's very good to know Ms. Aria."

Kairi nodded and placed her tea cup and saucer back on the table and rested her hands in her lap, looking at Mycroft expectantly but patiently. She was desperately trying to hide the giddy feeling shaking her muscles in feeling triumphant over both Holmes brothers - she was sure this had to be a once in a lifetime feeling, so she savored the delicious immaturity she felt.

"Is there anything else you require?" Kairi smiled flatly.

Mycroft nodded, a look of concern painting his features. "I hope that your feelings for my brother end up being...beneficial for him." He stated while staring at his tea cup and Kairi felt her shock return, "My brother is a sentimental creature, as much as it pains me to admit."

Kairi felt her resolve return, "I hope so too." She said quietly. "Good day, Mycroft."

"Good day Ms. Aria."

* * *

Kairi's day had been long and exhausting, her awkward conversation with Mycroft was behind her now and she was solely focused on getting home and having a bath. She hummed happily at that, thinking about her gorgeous bathtub that she'd dreamt of owning ever since she could remember. To her, it was a princess bathtub and Kairi knew that there were two kinds of little girls: ones that dreamed of a claw foot tub and ones that were liars. Most women grew up to want jacuzzi tubs or maybe those fancy showers with a million shower heads with different settings and rainbows shooting out of the fount, but Kairi had always dreamt of a claw foot tub and a giant shower head that poured over her like rain.

She opened her door to see Appa bouncing around at her feet, overwhelmed with joy that his master had returned home. She felt like her skin was slowly starting to sag and melt away from her bones, like she'd been in a crock pot all day. She sighed at Appa, realizing she needed to be responsible and take him out for exercise. She glanced at her watch and realized the poor monster had been locked up in her house for almost 12 hours. She decided she needed to get a dog walker for days like this.

As a good doggie parent, she begrudgingly changed her clothing, sighing deeply and grabbed Appa's leash. He started moving so quickly her eyes could barely focus on him. She just sort of swung the leash around gently until he calmed down enough to come and sit by her feet with a wagging tail and vibrating body.

She clipped the lead to him and exited 221C. She glanced up at the boys flat, but the door was closed and lights seemed off or at least dimmed. She assumed that they were either not home or did not desire to be disturbed, so she just shrugged and made her way out of the flat and started walking towards Regent's park which had the nearest off-leash dog park.

Not much was on her mind at this point. All of her thoughts seemed to be a jumble of letters, numbers, and symbols all sort of vibrating around in her head and it gave her a tiny head ache that rested at a pinpoint behind her zygomatic arch. It was infuriating, but it seemed to lessen as she walked to the park with Appa who was happy to just be out of the small flat. A pang of guilt jabbed at her heart and she resigned to researching dog walkers as soon as she sat down to let Appa play.

When they reached the park, Kairi smiled awkwardly at the other patrons all grouped together and chatting away. A dog park could be a cliquey type of place and she was too tired to try and socialize. She just wanted to give Appa the time to run around and get exhausted and hopefully not be bothered by someone else. She figured that if anyone came up to talk to her, she could just start speaking in Japanese and hope that they didn't make the connection that a blonde haired, blue-eyed woman, sitting in the middle of a dog park in London probably spoke pretty fluent English. She unsnapped his lead and Appa began to trot around. Other dogs began to follow and mill around and they began making their doggie introductions. Once everyone was properly sniffed and passed muster, dogs of all sizes started to run around with each other, sort of just taking their time to bark and run away and tackle one another. She was happy to see that the dirty looks most people were giving her dog started to dissipate when a small scruffy looking little wad of fur began to growl playfully at Appa and he got down on his front legs, butt in the air and tail wagging furiously. The other small pup sort of just took a playful lunge at Appa who simply flopped onto his side and rolled to his back and began wriggling around while the other dog just sort of ran around and jumped over him, playfully barking and wagging its tail. Kairi smiled at her big dumb monster.

Her phone started ringing so she pulled it out of her pocket and sighed heavily. It was Lestrade.

She had been dreading this conversation the entirety of the last few days when she wasn't getting her heart broken. How does one explain what her and Sherlock just went through?

_Oh yes, I really enjoyed our date._

_No, I cant go out with you again because of Sherlock._

_Oh...well...he...erm...well he passionately attacked me._

_No I'm fine I actually...well, I attacked him back._

_Oh...yeah...well he sort of gave me this mind-blowing orgasm._

_Oh...uh...ummm...yes I reciprocated..._

_He spent the night, sure._

_Oh the next morning?_

_Well he disappeared, lied to me about how much he cared about me, tried to push me away by telling me our fling was meaningless and now I wasn't useful in his life._

_Me? I was devastated...but then John explained how Sherlock would totally kill himself, risk having people hate him, and break their hearts to protect other people...Or something._

The phone was still ringing as she dropped her face into her hands and decided Fuck it! and answered the call.

"Hello!" She tried to sound bright and happy even though she felt like three day old dog shit.

"Hey Kairi, how are you?" Lestrade asked, genuine and sounding a bit tired too.

Kairi sighed, "I'm beat, Greg."

He chuckled at that, "Yeah I think I can understand that feeling. We've got another body that turned up and I'm ready to go home and sleep for about a hundred years."

"Awwww, you're calling me from a crime scene with a desiccating corpse? Be still my heart." Kairi smiled, the flirting came naturally with Lestrade and it was too late for her to realize what it all meant now, her being with Sherlock, or being somewhat attached him. She barely knew what was happening, how was she supposed to act?

Lestrade let out a loud laugh at that, "I needed that, you minx." He sighed heavily, "Damn, its been a day. No I just got done at the morgue and I was wondering what you were doing? I could use seeing a good friend right now."

Kairi felt nervous about that. "I'm at the Regent's Dog park" She blurted out without realizing it. She didn't think Lestrade was being specifically lecherous with his statement. They truly were good friends and maybe he just needed to get away from all of the police and bodies and chaos. She thought that sounded reasonable, but it also meant that she'd need to talk with him about what was happening in her life. She refused to lie to him, but if she maybe just avoided him for the rest of her life, she could put it off.

"Right, you mind if I join you for a bit? I'd like to see you and I sure as hell could use seeing a bunch of cute dogs running about and enjoying life."

Kairi smiled, "Yeah of course. You know how to get here?"

"Yeah, I'll be there soon enough."

"Okay." The line went silent and Kairi shut her eyes against her anxiety. She honestly liked Lestrade. She truly enjoyed his company and she was extremely attracted to him. She got along with him great and she could talk to him in a comfortable way, but then there was Sherlock. She couldn't describe it. It wasn't as if he were more attractive than Lestrade, just different. She could also talk with Sherlock, when he would let her, and they'd have interesting conversation when he forgot to be a prick about everything. She sighed deeply. This was the first time she had ever been caught in somewhat of a love triangle. Usually she tried to just melt into walls and for the first time in her life she was stuck in the middle and everyone was waiting for her decision. She knew that she'd pick Sherlock. It wasn't just that Lestrade had his pick of the litter, he deserved someone less emotionally transient and capable of giving him that life with marriage and kids all written in the stars. She wasn't sure she wanted any of that. Its not that she was violently against it, but she didn't want to waste any time, especially not her own. The worst feeling in the world could possibly be waking up and realizing that you were unable to love your children, that you were never meant to be a mother. She never wanted to be that person. She'd rather risk losing out on all of it than be horrible at it and ruin a perfect little human's life. She took a deep breath, realizing that she was letting things get out of hand in her tiny little mind. She was taking calming breaths when she heard someone shout her name and she looked up and saw Lestrade a bit down the path.

She waved at him and when he got closer she stood up to give him a hug. He wrapped an arm around her and pecked her on the cheek and they sat down, both sighing and sort of sinking underneath the weight of their day.

"I wont lie Kairi, you look like shit." Lestrade said placing his arm around her shoulders and Kairi just outright laughed at him.

"I can always trust you to be honest." She said jokingly and then her words cut her a little deeper. She shook her head slightly and tried to dispel her thoughts. She loved Sherlock Holmes and he would never hurt her now that she was in this with him, or at least he'd never do it intentionally. She put thoughts of Sherlock aside and decided she would focus on Lestrade, "Yes, well, things have been a bit nutty since I last saw you."

He nodded, "I've seen Sherlock, you do that to him?" He sort of chuckled and Kairi joined him.

"No, but I wanted to." She smiled at Lestrade and looked into his eyes which were kind and true and she just sort of sighed. She wasn't sure if they were on the same wave length. They were close, they were friends, he was handsome, but they just didn't click in the way her and Sherlock did. Damnit, she was thinking about him again. "I have to be honest Greg, after our date a lot of things happened."

Lestrade rose an eyebrow and squeezed his arm around her in a reassuring manner, "What happened?"

Kairi just sort of shrugged and with a ragged sigh she admitted, "Oh, everything." She put her face in her hands, "Sherlock was in my home after you left." She saw shock register on his face and she sighed heavily, "I mean, nothing happened. Well things happened, but that didn't happen." She watched him sort of try to stifle a smile at that. "He showed up and we fought and he kissed me and...things escalated. I'm so sorry. I honestly didn't think he felt that way about me."

Lestrade just sort of laughed, "I didn't think he felt that way about anything, except maybe John and that damned skull. It always did creep me out."

Kairi punched him softly in the shoulder, "So you're not mad?"

Lestrade sighed heavily and looked out into the night, thinking heavily, "You know its been pretty damn obvious how much you cared about each other - at least to everyone except the two of you." He looked back at Kairi who was frowning, "Don't get me wrong, love, I like you. I like you a lot, actually and if I'd have been there that night I would have staked my claim, but it seems Sherlock did it first." He smiled at her and Kairi felt a little queasy, "Problem is Kairi, I half expected this." He looked at her and saw how shocked she was, "I knew asking you out would do one of two things: one, we'd go on a date, have a fabulous time, maybe end up having a night together, possibly have it escalate into a comfortable sort of relationship between friends and maybe evolve into something more; or two, we'd go out on a date, have a fabulous time, and Sherlock would muck it up because he cares about you." Kairi couldn't help but laugh. "I honestly was expecting him to come at me with a cleaver or something in the end. I didn't think he'd have the guts to go after you. The way you two were moving at a snail's pace I didn't expect you to get together for some time, if ever. The stubborn ass."

"So..." Kairi began, still just so amazed at the man next to her, "So you asked me out to rile Sherlock?"

Lestrade smiled at her in his beautiful way, "Well, I won't say it wasn't fun pissing him off, but no, I asked you out with the expectation to go out on a date with you. I just had a sneaking suspicion that Sherlock might actually work it through his fat head that he cared about you a lot."

Kairi sighed, "Why are you the nicest, kindest man in the universe?"

Lestrade just sort of sighed, scratching at his neck, "Well, I dunno, I think I'm just that amazing."

Kairi laughed and nudged him, leaning her head on his shoulder, "I care for you. A lot. You're one of my good friends. I cant imagine not being your friend, but if it bothers you, me being with him, I'll stay out of your hair."

"Nah, you're not that great." He said jokingly and Kairi screeched at him and poked him in the side and they shared a comfortable laughter together. It dissipated and Lestrade put his hand to her cheek in a comforting way, "But I wouldn't hesitate to break his face again if he does hurt you. Know that, all right?"

Kairi smiled sheepishly, "I think, even if he did end up hurting me, you may not have time to get your hands on him if Molly gets him first."

"I'm scared to ask if she's the reason Sherlock's face got rearranged." He muttered and Kairi laughed, facing back out to look at Appa running around with his doggie friends and seeming happy as can be.

Kairi shook her head, "Nope, that was John."

"Well Sherlock must have deserved it then." Lestrade chuckled, "I knew that bastard was dangerous."

Kairi chuckled, "I had no idea."

He sighed heavily and just sort of laughed into silence and they looked at each other again, "You've been an interesting development in our lives Kairi, I've got to admit. Its been a wild ride."

Kairi chuckled as well, "You have no idea."

The shared a few minutes of silence, just enjoying each other's presence. It was a peaceful sort of silence filled with companionship and understanding. It was strange how in these last few months, she had formed closer, and more meaningful relationships with these Baker Street Misfits than she had with anyone else in her entire life combined. Yes, she was close to her parents, but in the end, it was more out of desperation, out of a need for someone, somewhere to talk to and to relate to. It didn't make her value her parents any less, but its important to form relationships outside of your family. Kairi's parents had always been vastly overprotective and to be honest, she was too scared to try and form friendships anyway. Moving to London had been one of the best experiences of her life.

"Isn't that your dog there? Lying in the middle of the grass asleep?" Lestrade asked, pointing to a large lump of fur dozing in the grass.

Kairi let herself laugh, "Yep. That's him. I guess he's done." She glanced at Lestrade whose eyes were still kind and caring and she felt truly happy in the moment.

"I'll drive you both home." Lestrade smiled.

Kairi whistled and Appa jumped up, his mouth was open and he was panting so they walked over to get him some water before leashing him up and getting back to Lestrade's car for the short trip back to Baker Street.

When they arrived, Lestrade got out of the car and walked them up to the door and gave her a long hug and kissed her on the cheek, "If you ever need to make him jealous, don't lose my number."

Kairi pulled back laughing at Lestrade's obvious cheek, "You're incorrigible."

He nodded, "Yeah, but he deserves getting a bit riled."

Kairi winked and bid Lestrade a good evening. She walked Appa inside and grabbed her mail and a package that was left outside her door. She glanced up at Baker Street and saw the lights on and figured she'd go up for a visit after she fed Appa and had her bath. She let herself in and tossed her keys and her mail on the counter and began stripping off her work clothes. Though comfortable, twelve hours in the same outfit, spent stressing over hard dead lines and sweating profusely because your boss, who has some sort of underhanded control over more than half of the industrialized world, may have an issue with you dating his brother. She got into her bedroom and slid on her Tardis robe and walked into the bathroom to get the bath started. She poured in some vanilla scented body wash to make bubbles and dropped just a bit of lavender essential oil into the water to help her relax. The scent was intoxicating as she walked back into her kitchen to get Appa his nightly meal. He was happily chomping away and she patted his back and went to glance at the mail.

The stack was on her counter and she flipped through the letters first, bills, bills, and more bills. She had recently gotten rid of her P.O. box since she'd be living underneath the world's best Consulting Detective and she'd probably get death threats everyday anyways. The sudden realization hit her just what would happen if her relationship with Sherlock were exposed. She would be murdered, horribly, by thousands of fan girls. The fan girl actually kind of scared her. She was one, she knew what they were capable of. She tried to ignore the thoughts of mutilation and torture as she grabbed the box with a California post mark. She was hoping it was from Heather as she walked into her bathroom to peak at the tub and noticed she still had a bit left to go. She walked back into the kitchen and grabbed a knife and started cutting the tape to open the box.

Once she glanced inside she wasn't quite sure what she was seeing as it was covered with some newspapers that seemed old. She dug through the paper clippings and her hand finally touched some soft, furry material and she gripped her fingers around it and brought it out of the box to stare at it.

Her mind went blank for a moment and she suddenly felt herself shaking as she stared at a medium sized, plush dog in her hands. He was brown and black spotted with a big cartoony sort of face and very soft fur all over his body. He had sort of raggedy type arms and legs that hung limp and she held him far away from her own body. He looked pretty old, but in decent condition. He wasn't torn or falling apart, but he seemed a bit dirty, as if the child who owned him had it with them every second of the day.

Her lip began to tremble and she couldn't understand why her breathing was getting so ragged and her heart was beating uncontrollably. She stared at the stuffed dog with black eyes reflecting her own image and her breath hitched as she noticed a brown stain on the dog's head. She had missed it a moment before because it looked like it blended in with the rest of the spots.

She held the dog in one hand and reached her hand up and touched the brownish stain and it flaked underneath her fingers. The smell finally reached her nose and it made her want to wretch, touching the stain had practically burned her and she dropped the dog, staring at it intently as her breathing became more and more rapid and she took a few steps back.

She felt her legs going weak, her hands reaching to her chest as her heart beat frantically and tears began streaming down her face. Her body was shaking and she fell onto her knees, feeling absolutely sick and dizzy and that's when the images started filling her mind.

She remembered a dark room and a faceless body moving towards her, arms reaching out to hold her just too tightly.

She remembered pain and tears.

She remembered darkness and whispers in her ear.

She remembered a little girl, crying and bleeding from between her legs.

With that sight, looking down and remembering blood on her fingertips, Kairi let out a wretched set of coughs that ended up in her stomach emptying its contents all over the floor. She had to put her hands out to keep herself from falling into her own refuse and she was crying hysterically now. Her breaths were harder and harder to control and her heart was pounding in her chest. She felt herself losing sight, losing sensation and she was afraid that her insides were going to propel themselves from her orifices.

She did the only thing she could think to do. She screamed Sherlock's name as loud as she could and promptly fell to the floor, her eyes rolling into the back of her head as Appa began barking wildly and scratching at her front door. Her body was shaking chaotically as she lost all semblance of self and deteriorated into nothingness, hoping with her last thought that maybe, just maybe she'd see his face one more time.

* * *


	22. -22-

Sherlock had returned from the crime scene and noticed that Kairi was still not home. He was disappointed in his brother, making her work such arduous hours, but from what he noticed since she started working for him, Kairi was intensely happy being challenged. A smile crept itself onto his face, respecting her devotion to her craft. It was an attractive trait. He tried to remove it quickly as John glanced at him while they walked up the stairs. He realized he was unsuccessful when he noticed John's small smirk. That earned John a glare.

As they made their way up to Baker Street, his thoughts disposing of the simple case they returned from. He was slightly annoyed that he made the trip out to the scene when it was an obviously clear case. Of course, it was no one's fault but his own since he was the one that had checked his police scanner desperately for new murders. The past few days had been a lot of new information for him to process and he needed something to center him.

The evolution of his relationship with Kairi shook him to his core. Ever since he met her, he was drawn to her. She was very pragmatic, like John, sincere like Molly, and incredibly intelligent in her own way. Her biggest draw back was her emotional side which absolutely infuriated him to no end. He couldn't understand why someone so intelligent and driven could seem to be leading such an empty and pointless life driven by emotion and fear.

He admitted to himself very early on that he was attracted to her in the way men are attracted to women, but it was something that was only slightly aggravating and manageable. As time progressed, he found himself enjoying her presence in the way that he was comfortable with John. He also didn't mind that she contested him. John also contested him frequently, but usually didn't put up much of a fight, losing his will to continue against his frustration with Sherlock's impertinence. Kairi never backed down from him and it was as impressive as it was annoying.

The more time they spent together after taking her on as a client and a friend, he became amused by her mannerisms and they way she would speak in deliberately ridiculous prose. In a sense, she was freeing to him, balancing almost, providing the chunk of personality that he was missing. He did not think that he wanted an emotional aspect present in his mind, but after John entered his life and his friendships with Molly and Lestrade began to deepen, Sherlock was beginning to see the point of having companions. They could be most invaluable.

In respect to romance, he still found it highly detestable. He just found it less detestable when Kairi was involved. There was a pull to her that he could not shake, no matter how fervently he tried, in the darkest most primal part of his brain, he knew he was afraid of what she brought out in him. He was afraid of her and her meaning in his life and he was afraid  _for_  her.

In the past, his experience with the one of two other tolerable members of the opposite sex was The Woman. She was an inherently selfish individual, driven by fulfilling her own purpose and means. Perhaps he had not found her quite as attractive as Kairi because of The Woman's inherent deviousness. Not only that, but The Woman's fascination with him had much to do with his mind and how to use it to further benefit herself. He did not feel that way with Kairi. She desired his mind and it was obvious from their most recent interaction that she desired him in a sexual manner, as well. In the end, he realized that she also valued his friendship - even though what he offered was paltry when compared to some.

He had many women who had shown interest in him, but he was sure their fascination was something made up of their imagined perspective of him as opposed to his actual personification. He knew he was particular, difficult some might say, but he preferred to go through his life without wasting time. He was constantly searching to give his mind something new to learn from. Experiencing the darkest, most misunderstood aspect of life - the human mind and it's murderous intent - was something that constantly surprised him and it enticed him.

Kairi was fascinating to him, but in a very different way. He could sense her subtle attraction to him in the beginning, though it seemed to wane depending on if they were fighting or not. Both of them were stubborn to a dangerous degree, but something that always astounded him was her unflinching ability to forgive. He did not invest much in forgiveness as the idea of what someone else thought of him rarely mattered. With Kairi, however, he tracked the progression through their relationship where it began to matter more and more that she would want to be around him. He had greatly disliked her absence from his life for that wretched month. He had exhausted himself in cases and experiments, but at the end of furiously working for days on end, he desperately missed the taste of her mouth on a cigarette they had shared.

It was frustrating just how often he would catch himself looking at her, inspecting the lines of her face and piecing together how she applied her make up each morning. He would catch the scent of her hair and notice its sheen to tell when she most recently washed it and if she had used a different shampoo. He would observe her while smoking and see how long it had been since her last cigarette based upon her grip on the tiny paper filter. He would notice the pattern her lips would leave on the cigarette filter, and the color red suddenly had a more intense affect on him. He found himself standing closer to her than anyone else in the room without consciously making an effort to walk over to her. He let out a frustrated sigh as he sat in his chair and stared at the skull on the mantlepiece.

John was busying himself on the computer, probably sending a message to Molly who would be hard at work on her new corpse.

He groaned in frustration, that case had not been worth his time and it was almost enraging how often his mind would wander back to the scent of vanilla and lavender or a flash of blue eyes would cross his vision. He stared at the skull, hard enough to bore a hole in it.

"Dinner?" John said distractedly.

Sherlock grunted.

"We could go round to Kairi's. She wanted to make us dinner for helping her find the flat. She may have an idea." John finished and Sherlock could feel the Doctor's gaze on the back of his neck. John cleared his throat, "Have you, uh, talked to her?"

"No." Sherlock stated simply.

"Well it might be nice if you would initiate contact." John said robotically then added, "You two are stubborn children."

Sherlock growled turning to glare at John, "Why should  _I_  be the one?"

John rolled his eyes dramatically, "Oh, I dunno," He began, his voice dripping with sarcasm, "The fact that you practically caused her to go into psychological shock a few days ago cause you went all  _Basic Instinct_  on her and then essentially told her to sod off."

Sherlock frowned and turned in his chair, staring angrily at the skull again. "I don't know what that means." He grumbled most unpleasantly.

He had to admit he was not processing things logically since they returned from the states. The frustration over Kairi's case and the fact that it was going nowhere burned in his gut. He would not admit to himself that the burning feeling was his intense need to protect her, to appease her, even.

The lighter he had given her was something that seemed to burn in his pocket the two weeks before he had seen her. The moment he found it, he came to the conclusion that it would fit perfectly into her small hands. Her reception of the gift was most pleasing. Holding her in that moment, knowing he had her forgiveness made him burst with a sense of accomplishment that he usually only got when working a case. The time he spent with her family had even been tolerable.

He wasn't sure why he was so miffed by her calling Lestrade and not himself. Both men were perfectly capable of reserving tickets for a flight. He swallowed heavily, trying to dispel the dread in his gut when he remembered hearing that Kairi and Lestrade would be going on a date after they returned to London. Logically, two attractive people engaging in romantic or sexual interactions were common among people who weren't burdened with his intelligence. To him it was a waste of time, but when he heard that Kairi would be spending an evening with Lestrade, he couldn't quite quash the anger he felt in his chest and at the base of his spine. The absolute last thing he would tolerate was Lestrade's hands on Kairi in that intimate manner and he didn't really know why it bothered him so. He had left for the morgue and taken out some his residual angst on a spare corpse claiming it was to investigate the effects of aggressive fractures on post-mortem bone density. When he returned to Baker Street, feeling relatively at peace, with more interesting information regarding his study, he walked past Kairi's new home and the anger returned with a vengeance. He hadn't been thinking when he broke in, meeting Appa in the foyer and feeling a bit foolish at the dog's welcome reaction to his arrival. He hadn't thought about what would happen if Lestrade and Kairi entered the apartment together. He couldn't shake the anger that she was not there, in her new flat, with him, and it was driving him mad. He decided he needed to talk with her, clear his mind, and try and deduce why he was feeling so emotional over such a simple human act. He was not prepared for the jealousy or the desire (and elation) he felt when Kairi returned alone. He could not deny that his actions that night had been a deeply rooted desire for her. He wanted to claim her.

He should have been upset at his flawed humanity and base desire, but when he woke the next morning, gazing at Kairi sleeping peacefully and looking more beautiful than he had ever seen her, his stomach coiled in on itself and fear gripped him. The night they shared, the passion that was exchanged, awoke a different, burning sensation deep within his gut and he wanted nothing more than to experience her again, in the fullest. He cared for her greatly, as a friend, and sexually, they seemed quite compatible. This new knowledge plagued him deeply and he felt afraid to be near her any longer. His promise to her mother, only a few days prior, nagged at the back of his mind and the sinking realization that what they just did contradicted that promise made him feel sick. Sherlock Holmes would never be a safe person to be around.

It was that moment he was brought back to the present, his gut clenched and he began to panic. He heard Kairi scream, something that almost sounded like his name, and he leapt from his chair, unceremoniously leaping over the table and knocking something on the floor he cared very little about. He practically jumped down the stairs and flew through her door to see something that made his blood run cold. His brain had the decency to observe the box, her vomit, and a furry object on the floor, but, to his dismay, his body reacted much quicker.

Appa was barking frantically at his mistress' side. Kairi was lying on the floor, her body rigid and shaking spasmodically with her eyes rolled into the back of her head. Sherlock ran over to her side and just as he was about to grab her he heard John rumbling through the door right behind him.

"Don't touch her!" He shouted at Sherlock who froze, looking up at John with obvious panic in his eyes. John ran over to Sherlock and sort of shooed him out of the way as he watched Kairi having a seizure. "Sherlock call an ambulance now!"

Sherlock did so quickly, trying to calm his breaths and keep himself from fumbling with his phone as he dialed 999 for an ambulance. Very shakily, he told them another resident was having a seizure in her home and a Doctor was present to administer first aid. He gave them the address and they told him an ambulance would be with them shortly. He kept the phone to his ear, hearing the dispatcher say calming words into the phone and asking him questions about the length of the seizure as well as any medical issues Kairi might have. He answered the questions simply, to the best of his knowledge, and watched Kairi as her body began to slow with slight tremors and her muscles began relaxing. Sherlock could feel his heart skip a beat as he watched John reach out tentatively and take Kairi's pulse, glancing at his watch for a few minutes of silence. Finally John breathed a sigh of relief. He rolled her gently onto her left side with one arm under her head and the other draped across her stomach.

"Tell them the seizure seems to have stopped but she's non-responsive. Breathing is shallow, heart beat is normalizing but a bit weak." John said, looking up at Sherlock who looked so incredibly lost.

Sherlock repeated exactly what John said into the phone and the dispatcher thanked him and let him know the ambulance was two minutes away. Sherlock acknowledged her and handed the phone to John who took it gladly and began conversing with the dispatcher. Sherlock looked at John who motioned for Sherlock to approached her body. He knelt next to her and moved the hair from her face and laid his hand gently on the top of her head. Her skin was clammy and paler than usual. Her breathing was slightly erratic and he watched the pulse on her neck whisper against her skin. He knew that Kairi had no medical history of seizures and he tried to keep his heart beat steady as he stared at her seemingly lifeless body. Appa was lying about a foot away, his head on the ground as he whined and stared at Kairi who was still unconscious.

It felt like an eternity but it was only a matter of minutes.

Sherlock began glancing around, his brain finally registering the box on the counter, the mess on the floor, and he was shocked to see that the furry object was actually a stuffed dog lying on the floor. He stood and walked over to it, only a foot or two away from her, staring at it intently and began to assess it as John walked back over to Kairi.

Sherlock was staring at the stuffed dog as the paramedics came in and John called them over. Sherlock dropped to a squat over the dog and looked at it closely. It was quite a few years old, he was not familiar with this particular stuffed animal, though he couldn't exactly say he was intimately familiar with stuffed animals in general. The type of stitching was similar to that of industrial sewing machines from about twenty or so years ago. Looking at the stuffed dog's joints, they were very relaxed and even a little loose. The state of the dog, looking like it had once been washed quite a few times with aging and dull fur, was well loved and slightly dirty. He pulled out his pen light and nudged the animal slightly to get a better look at the rest of it. He almost choked on his own breath, there was a large, very old, but well preserved blood stain on the dog's head. There was a knot in his chest and he had the sneaking suspicion that the blood belonged to Kairi.

He glanced back at Kairi who was being placed on the gurney by the paramedics while John went on to explain what they knew about the situation.

"John, you must go with her." Sherlock said shakily as he stood to face him.

John looked at him absolutely shocked and a little upset, "If she wakes up, you should be there."

Sherlock looked uncomfortable, almost pained, "I need to call Lestrade. Whoever sent this," He motioned to the stuffed pet on the floor, "Had intended for her reaction to be drastic. She's in danger and I need to find out who is doing this to her."

John nodded, seeing the desperation on his friend's face, "All right. You call me as soon as you can. She yelled for you Sherlock, you should be there."

Sherlock nodded, "As soon as I can, I will be."

John rushed after the paramedics and closed the door behind him, leaving a whining Appa sniffing at the space beneath the door.

Sherlock pulled out his phone shakily and dialed a very familiar number. When he heard to click signifying someone was indeed on the line he took a breath to try to reclaim his voice, "Mycroft," He said deeply, seriously, "I need your absolute best forensic team." He sighed and stared at the dog, lying haphazardly on the floor next to a pile of Kairi's vomit, "Kairi has been sent another message. This one seemed quite specific in its intent. At least to her."

There was a beat of silence and Mycroft spoke with absolute certainty, "Done."

* * *

Kairi woke up slowly. Her eyes were still shut and her entire body severely ached. She felt clammy, generally uncomfortable, and unbearably weak. Her breathing came out a little raggedly and she tried to open her eyes, but her head was throbbing.

She heard some shuffling at her side and reached out, thinking it was Appa, only to have her hand grasped by someone else's small warm fingers. She took in a sharp breath, not expecting the contact and her eyes shot open and she bolted upright making her dizzy as the dim lights flooded her senses.

Once her eyes focused she looked to her side to see a middle aged woman dressed in some pretty obnoxiously bright scrubs smiling at her kindly. Kairi began to panic as she looked down at her arms, she vaguely realized that the nurse was saying something she couldn't comprehend, and saw the IV in her arm. She was lying in a hospital bed, praying that she was at St. Bart's and that Molly would be nearby.

The nurse handed her a cup of water and Kairi took a slow sip, the water a refreshing sensation on her parched throat. She looked up at the nurse, "What happened?"

The nurse smiled, "I'll go get the Doctor dear."

"Am I all right?" Kairi said, panic beginning to spread through her limbs.

The nurse turned, "Yes, you seem to be fine after your episode, I promise. I will get the Doctor in to explain specifically what's happened. You're at St. Bart's and you're vitals are all stable so far. Hopefully your friend will be awake by that time since he's been bothering us every minute for updates." She scowled slightly at a form in the corner and exited the room.

It took Kairi a moment to push her exhaustion out of the way and to glance at the figure on the other side of her bed. Sitting in a chair a few feet away was Sherlock Holmes. He was slumped in the chair, his face seemed to be peaceful as it leaned back on the chair he was slouching in. His hands rested on his lap and one leg stretched out. He was still in a full suit and Kairi let out a light laugh.

"You're the worst fake sleeper I've ever seen." She said hoarsely and saw his lip twitch into a smile.

He straightened slowly, eyes opening quickly as he looked at her closely with a light grin on his lips. "It was the only way to make sure they did not try to kick me out. They would let Molly stay since she's staff, but they considered me a bother." He seemed slightly annoyed at that.

Kairi smiled at him weakly, "You? A bother?" He glared at her for a moment and then stood, pulling his chair over to her bedside. Kairi went to adjust herself in her bed, but she was doing so with shaky arms and she felt herself falter as much as you can while sitting in a hospital bed. The second she felt her arms fail her, she felt Sherlock wrap an arm around her gently, to support her. She looked up at him, his face inches away from hers and her heart began to beat furiously. That was only confirmed by the hectic beeping of the machine monitoring her heart rate. Sherlock gently smirked at her and helped her adjust herself and the back of her bed so she could sit up comfortably. She scowled at him slightly as he removed his arm with a knowing smile and sat in his chair.

"Ms. Aria," A voice came from the doorway, "I'm Dr. Harrow. How are you feeling?" The doctor was a young female, inspecting her chart as she walked over to Kairi's bedside to check the machine monitoring her vitals and the administered IV. Her eyes were sharp and intelligent behind her glasses and she had a no-nonsense type of presence, but a very warm smile.

Kairi smiled weakly, "Well, I'm sore. I feel very weak. Exhausted, really." She said, trying to assess her own situation. Her memory of what happened was unclear, "I'm also a little fuzzy on the details. What happened?"

"Well from what Mr. Holmes and Dr. Watson reported, they found you in your home having a seizure." The Doctor stated and Kairi's eyes went wide.

"A seizure?" She gasped, "Is my brain ok?" She asked a bit frantically and caught the smallest smirk on Sherlock's face. She glared at him quickly, "You have a seizure with that precious brain of yours and see how freaked out you get." She snarled and he simply kept his smirk in place.

Dr. Harrow frowned at Mr. Holmes, "Would you be more comfortable discussing this alone?"

Sherlock glared back at the Doctor and in his deepest most malevolent voice he replied, "I'm not leaving."

Dr. Harrow opened her mouth to respond, but Kairi interrupted, "Its fine, he's always annoying. I'm used to it." They shared a smirk while Sherlock seemed to pout.

"Very well," Dr. Harrow continued, "You have been out for almost eight hours. Most of that was due to the fact that we kept you sedated to perform necessary tests. Mr. Holmes informed us that you had no previous history of seizures, so we wanted to make sure there was no permanent damage, while also testing for a cause."

Kairi gulped back her nervousness, "And?" She tried to sound calm.

"All of your scans and bloodwork came back normal and rather healthy." Dr. Harrow looked concerned, "Which leads me to think you had a psychogenic non-epileptic, dissociative seizure. Are you under any sort of extreme amount of physical or emotional stress? Are you experiencing high levels of anxiety or depression?"

Kairi let out a bark of laughter at that, which caused Dr. Harrow to look genuinely shocked. Kairi's hand went quickly to her mouth to shut herself up and she glanced at Sherlock whose smile also widened just a fraction. "Oh I'm so sorry. I really shouldn't be laughing." She looked up at the doctor and everyone noticed that Kairi's heart began to beat faster, "My life is honestly a wreck right now." She said shakily and tears started to form. The doctor was looking sadly concerned at this point and so Kairi dropped her head in shame. She felt the tears coming on until she felt the warmth of Sherlock's hand envelop her own. She looked up at him with tears in her eyes and he tried to smile reassuringly at her and she appreciated the effort. She smiled back at him as a tear fell down her cheek. She looked back to the doctor, "So is that what causes this type of thing? Emotional stress?"

Dr. Harrow nodded, "Yes, it can be a factor. Usually its a combination of anxiety and depression fueled panic attacks, it could quite possibly be a traumatic event or repressed memories that resurfaced. I have a psychologist and neurologist on staff who are available whenever you're ready to speak with them."

Kairi nodded, her exhaustion returning, "Sure. When can I go home?"

The doctor sort of sighed lightly, "You should really talk to our staff members first, before leaving, but other than that you are healthy. You could use some more rest and some food. I'd prefer to keep you under observation -,"

"No need, I live with a Doctor, right above Ms. Aria." Sherlock interrupted, "I also have access to a psychologist and neurologist who would be willing to make a home visit, if you'd prefer." He said to Kairi who smiled weakly.

The doctor seemed a bit miffed at Sherlock Holmes interjection but she agreed, "If you have that level of care available at home, then I don't see why you wouldn't be able to be home within a few hours. Perhaps we can get you something to eat, see how you react?"

Kairi saw Sherlock beginning to open his mouth and so she replied, "Yes thank you. That'd be wonderful." The doctor nodded and left the room, scribbling down some notes and then placing them in the slot outside the door.

"Why are you accepting their food? Hospital food is horrendous. We-," He paused, correcting himself, "Mrs. Hudson could make you something at home."

Kairi smiled, "Its not necessary. They are offering and I'm quite tired. I don't want to be rushed out through discharge anyway. I'm tired Sherlock and I don't remember why."

Sherlock frowned, "Yes that can be common with seizures."

She glanced at him again, weakly, "So, you just found me at home? Having a seizure?" Her eyes shot wide, "Oh god, is Appa okay?"

Sherlock rolled his eyes at that. Of course she'd consider the dog before herself, "He is happily residing at Mrs. Hudson's for the foreseeable future. John helped with a walk this morning."

Kairi nodded, "Oh." She looked into Sherlock's eyes which were blank and staring down at where their hands were connected, his thumb was gently stroking her knuckles, "And where were you?"

He shifted, seeming uncomfortable, "I was here."

Kairi rose an eyebrow, "All night?"

Sherlock responded with his own eyebrow, which Kairi was bugged to admit went higher than hers, "Yes. I find myself-," He thought for a moment, a serious look on his face, "-Concerned with your welfare."

Kairi tried to hide her smile and her blush as Sherlock shifted in his seat, "I'm happy to know that you're concerned about me Sherlock." He glanced at her with softer eyes, "You really know how to word things to make a girl feel all mushy inside." It was Sherlock's turn to hide his smile.

"You should rest. The food will probably take hours. I'll be here when you wake up." He said airily.

Kairi nodded and adjusted herself in the bed, lowering down the back of her bed to be more comfortable. She rolled onto her side to face Sherlock and watched him as he watched her. His face was expressionless, but his eyes were softer, laced with a hint of concern. Her eyes fluttered over his features, taking in his disheveled, curly hair, his smooth, pale skin. Her eyes traveled down his cheek bones and flashed across his strong nose and then finally fell on his lips. She was surprised how badly she wanted to kiss him. The heart rate monitor began beeping more rapidly and Sherlock smirked again.

"Close your eyes." He squeezed her hand in his, "I'm here, you needn't stare at me the entire time."

Kairi looked cross and then sighed, shifting to get more comfortable, and then she closed her eyes. Within seconds she was fast asleep.

Sherlock watched carefully as she fell into a deep sleep. The seizure was thankfully short and didn't damage anything. There was a tightness in his chest as he leaned forward, his elbows on the bed as his other hand reached slowly to envelop her hand with his other one. He stared at her for as long as he could handle it, investigating her features and watching her eyes shifting beneath her lids as she went through various stages of sleep.

He glanced around, noticing they were very alone and leaned in slowly, placing his lips gently on the back of her hand for a kiss. He retracted quickly, just in time to see the slightest smile twitch on the corners of her lips. With a deep sigh, Kairi fell into a deeper sleep and Sherlock tried to relax, his mind racing over the small amount of information that Mycroft's team had been feeding him since they started collecting and processing the evidence in her home. Sherlock didn't want Scotland Yard to handle the investigation if he couldn't be there, he had wanted to be with Kairi as soon as possible, and it was with desperation he called Mycroft in to assist with the collection of evidence. Mycroft recruited the most adept people aside from Sherlock and Mycroft themselves. Sherlock was sure that Mycroft would be handling the investigation personally. Not many people got away with threatening his employees without dire consequences.

Sherlock felt his phone vibrate and he retrieved the object from his pocket and looked at the screen. There was a message from Mycroft.

_Crucial developments have been made. Developments that should not be discussed over the phone -MH_

_We shall be returning to Baker Street tonight. - SH_

_Very well, I will update you then. - MH_

With that Sherlock glanced at Kairi, worry brewing in his gut, wondering just what could be hidden inside that brilliant mind of hers that was trying to tear her apart.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N
> 
> I kept it under 7,000 words this time...I don't know if you'll be pleased or not, haha!
> 
> So here we go. Both Holmeses are on the case... We still have quite a bit to go in this story. I know its long, but I feel like its necessary for this plot. There is a lot to it, especially when trying to grasp so many character's perspectives and feelings.
> 
> Please review. I really don't want to be that person to withhold chapters in order to get reviews...Actually I know I wont be. I get too excited to post the damn chapter. I'd just really like to know what you all think. At this point, I could use the validation - I wont lie!
> 
> Thank you all so much for your continued reading! I enjoy conversing with you and hearing your reactions. Thanks so much for going on this journey with me. I know it sounds strange that FF would be so influential in a person's life, but right now, writing is really making me happy. I get happier when I realize other people like it too. Makes me feel a LITTLE less crazy ;P
> 
> Hope all is well!


	23. -23-

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter Rated M for lots of good reasons

John had stopped by after Kairi was fed and rested to drop off some clothes for her return to Baker Street. She was incredibly grateful since Sherlock informed her that the only clothing available to her was the robe she arrived in. She was happy to finish the sign out process in a pair of her most comfortable sweatpants and an oversized sweater. She got carted home by Sherlock at her side, a protective arm around her waist. She still felt very weak, all of her muscles had that sort of feeling you get after the most strenuous exercise you've ever done. All she wanted to do was get home and get some sleep.

The ride back to Baker Street wasn't very lengthy, but Kairi found herself desperately wishing it would end. The hustle and bustle of life around her seemed to fry her senses and she felt as if she would short-circuit her brain again from sensory overload. At some point she closed her eyes and rested her head on the back of her seat. She tried to breathe in slowly and evenly, tuning out the general hysterics of the world around her. Sherlock was sitting close to her now and she relished in his presence. His warmth at her side was comforting on so many levels. It was not just that the warmth was actually comforting, it being so damn cold all the time, but the fact that he had deliberately sat closer to her so they were touching. It made her smile to think that it was no happy accident. Sherlock was a decidedly deliberate person.

When they reached Baker Street, Sherlock helped Kairi out of the cab, a protecting arm encircling her once again as they climbed the meager steps to the front door. They walked in and shut the door and Kairi was almost ecstatic to see that it was quiet and presumably empty. She glanced at Sherlock who nodded to her as they walked to her flat and she gave a quiet thanks to the universe that Sherlock was actually quite intuitive when he wanted to be. He had ensured her homecoming would be quiet - at least for the moment.

They entered Kairi's home and Kairi's heart dropped a bit when she wasn't met with her own private welcome home party.

"I thought it was best for you to get some more rest. When you awake we can retrieve him." Sherlock added as he removed his large coat and hung it on the back of her chair.

"Sure." She pouted slightly, but understood. "Thank you."

They stood in silence and Kairi stared around her home trying to figure out what had happened to her that caused her seizure. She knew it was something psychologically big, since all of her tests came back clean. She wracked her brain for a moment until she felt a hand on her lower back. She turned and saw Sherlock Holmes looking very seriously at her.

"Rest first. We will find out what happened later." He murmured quietly.

Kairi smiled up at him weakly, "Alright, alright." She waved her hands in weak defeat and then continued into her room. She began to undress and she heard the tiniest change in breath in the detective behind her. She glanced over her shoulder to see Sherlock standing in her doorway, facing the other direction. "Oh, so now you get shy?" She laughed as she pulled off her clothing.

"I would assume you'd want some privacy to rest." He said as levelly as he could muster.

Kairi smiled at his back and walked over to him and placed a hand on his back. He turned ever so slightly to glance at her over his shoulder and she could see the intensity in his eyes as he looked over her in her tank top and underwear. "You have assumed incorrectly." She said back to him in her best impersonation.

She pushed his shoulder slightly to turn him towards her and began to slowly unbutton his suit jacket. His breathing was even as she slid it off of his shoulders and let it fall to the floor. He didn't move, he only watched her, her hair draping over her shoulders and laying across the tops of her breasts, and her skin looked like the color was increasing exponentially. Her eyes would glance up at him, under heavy lashes and he could see the depth of her feelings behind them. It took his breath away to see such raw emotion and have it directed at him. Kairi was not one to shield herself, at least not with him. His exhale was a little more ragged when her tiny fingers began to pick at the buttons on his shirt. The first three were undone and she leaned in slowly and kissed his chest gently, her tongue just barely sneaking out to meet his skin. Sherlock inhaled tightly and then his hands grabbed her hips, his fingers digging into the skin there, meeting the scrap of lace that lined the top of her underwear and he held her at a slight distance.

Kairi looked up at him frowning, "I'm sorry."

Sherlock shook his head, seeming frustrated, "Do not apologize."

Kairi sort of huffed out a breath, "I guess I'll go shower." She said in a slightly defeated manner and as she turned slightly to go towards her bathroom, she felt the grip on her hips tighten and pull her closer. She looked up to Sherlock and saw his eyes, alight with passion and hesitation. She was amazed at the duality of him, how he could process so much in his mind at one time.

"Do not misunderstand me." He stated in his deep voice, rumbling from his chest, "I am merely concerned about your condition. I do not wish to-," He paused, his eyes very seriously taking in her features, "- Exacerbate things."

Kairi nodded, smiling, "I understand." She muttered sadly but she looked up at him, seeing the war behind his eyes, "I really do. I'll go shower and brush my teeth." She gripped his shirt gently and pulled him down as she stood on her tip toes and kissed him gently on the forehead. He sighed heavily at that. She dropped down to her heels and looked him squarely in the face, "My cigarettes are in my jacket pocket. If you need one, help yourself. I'll be out soon." Kairi chuckled as he nodded and then let go of her quickly, turning on his heel and disappearing from her bedroom. Her assumption that Mycroft was the one with perfect control appeared to be correct. Sherlock Holmes was secretly a normal, horny man.

She stripped further as she walked into her bathroom and turned on her shower to the hottest setting she could muster. She climbed in, letting the water soak her sore body and encase her in its perfect warmth. She tried to shake the urges she was feeling for Sherlock Holmes, but the heat of the shower and remembering the look in his eyes as he gripped her hips did not help. She smiled as she went through her normal routine, taking her time to wash the sweat and the stress of the last day away. It felt especially nice to massage her muscles and stretch under the spray. The amount of soreness and her exhaustion was very surprising - she had never had a seizure before and it scared her very much. The doctors said that all of her tests were normal and Sherlock probably had the best neurologist and psychologist available in the modern world at his beck in call - she would bet on the fact that they'd do anything to study that magnificent brain of his.

Kairi snorted at herself, sexually aroused and thinking about Sherlock Holmes' synapses in a steamy shower. Only he could cause that sort of reaction in a woman. She finished up her routine and dried herself quickly. She decided to blow dry her hair if she'd be lying down in the bed so she flipped her head upside down and went to town, not caring how fluffy her head would be in a few minutes.

She walked back into her bedroom and peeked into the front room to see Sherlock Holmes sitting in her chair stiffly, his eyes closed and obviously focused. She tiptoed to her closet and slid on a very standard night gown with a built in bra. It fell to just about her knees and was made of a very soft material. She walked slowly over to where Sherlock Holmes sat and cleared her throat as she approached the side of the chair.

He looked up at her, breaking from his mental gymnastics and almost smiled.

"I can't imagine you slept last night." She said, looking in his eyes for signs of fatigue.

He shook his head slowly, his eyes roving her body, "No."

Kairi reached out a hand, "I think I would like it if you would come nap with me."

Sherlock took the proffered hand slowly and stood, letting the small blonde with fluffy waves of hair cascading down her back lead him. The nightgown she was wearing seemed to swish against her thighs with each step and it was abnormally enticing to see the way it glided across her buttocks. She pulled him into the bedroom gently and turned to begin unbuttoning his shirt again. He hadn't realized he had left it undone.

There was a small tugging in the depth of his stomach and he cleared his throat while staring down at her, "You look rather lovely without make up on." He tried to say simply, but his tone was deep and it felt lecherous to him.

Kairi grinned up at him as she pulled the shirt off of his shoulders and let her fingers follow it across his skin as it fell to the floor, "Thanks. That's nice of you to notice."

He nodded once, gulping back the sensation growing in his gut. He tried to even his breath as her hands reached for his belt and began unbuckling it. He reached out to her hands and pushed them away gently, hoping not to upset her and looking into her eyes with a gentle smile. She nodded and turned towards her closet, obviously a little upset, but Sherlock knew it was because she was frustrated. She understood that he didn't want to hurt her. She pulled something out of the shelves in the closet and turned to see Sherlock step out of his pants wearing boxer briefs.

It took everything Kairi had inside of her not to drop the pajama pants she was holding in her hands as she stared at him. His body was the perfect combination of muscle and lean strength. It was toned and strong, but nothing obtuse. His stomach was flat and had ridges of muscles apparent, but nothing out of a magazine. He was strong, but normal. It was intensely satisfying to see him standing before her, clad in a pair of underwear that accentuated the strength of his thighs and gently cradled his manhood. She let out a ragged sigh, watching as the bulge beneath the underwear twitched very gently and she looked up at Sherlock, blushing furiously. She held out the pants to him and he took them quickly, evening his breath as he pulled them over his hips.

She walked to the bed and climbed in, looking at Sherlock, still standing a few feet away, "Come on, I don't bite." She meant it jokingly, but she saw the hitch in his breath and the slight flush on his cheeks. Memories of their time spent together a few nights before flooded her mind. She was sure it was doing the same to him as she watched his pupils dilated as he stared at her. Kairi was trying her best to behave.

The look he was giving her was not helpful.

She laid down with a huff and pulled the covers up to her neck, trying desperately to keep herself from imagining those impure thoughts that were barraging her brain. She felt the bed dip slightly and she felt the warmth of Sherlock Holmes lay close to her but not touching.

She heaved a sigh out and turned to face him, "We cant keep doing this."

He barely looked at her, "Doing what?"

She rolled her eyes and sat up to stare down at him, "Acting so...Weird!" She said exasperated. "Sherlock, our relationship," She paused trying to find the words he would understand, "Its sexual, its emotional, its also based on friendship. We are grown adults with physical and emotional needs that we can satisfy with each other. I really care about you." She stressed, "If you aren't comfortable with being sexual, I do understand that. I just need to know so I can keep myself in check. I just want to know what your boundaries are. We are adults, two straight forward and stubborn adults. I refuse to play games or be vague with you."

He looked her up and down, noticing her nipples beginning to harden behind her shirt and he gulped down his desperation, "You cannot be vague with me," He started and sat up slowly, coming face to face with her, "I can read your entire body like a text book."

Kairi smiled sadly, "I'm not a textbook though, Sherlock," She began, "I'm a human, who cares for you, who wants you." She leaned in and kissed him softly on the mouth, "And the thing is, I cant read you at all, not always." She looked at him and he frowned, "I can sense things from you Sherlock, occasionally. You're not as closed off as you think - at least not with me. There's moments where I can see past the wall you put up, but just barely. Sometimes it will help to know what you're thinking."

He looked down at the sheets, her hands reached out and rested gently on his thigh, "I don't know how to do this and its infuriating." He admitted and looked up at her. She was smiling kindly at him, no mocking grin at all, "I didn't even have friends until John." He looked uncomfortable, "Now I have not only friends, but someone with whom I share-," He paused, looking almost disgusted, "-Sentiment."

Kairi laughed at him now, "Its not a disease, you know."

He looked at her again, watching her lips and sensing the deep roll in his stomach, "It feels like one." He watched her frown and then shook his head. "No, that was not good." He looked up at her again, "You're infectious, Kairi." He reached a hand up to cup her cheek, "My mind is almost always occupied by something and I find that I'm no longer bored when not faced with something challenging, some case. I find my mind wandering to you in those silent moments." Kairi leaned in and placed her forehead against his, "I don't know what it means."

Kairi shook her head against his, "You don't have to know what it means, Sherlock. Its all different for you. Its different for me too, the level of emotion I feel for you." She kissed him gently again. "I'm sorry I distract you." She said, reaching up to put a hand on his chest.

He looked at her, thoughts miles away for a moment and nodded, "I forgive you."

She chuckled, "Lets lay down. You can hold me if you like, you big idiot."

They laid down with Kairi's back pressed against Sherlock's chest, nestled into each other like interlocking shapes or neurotransmitters fitting into their receptors. Sherlock chuckled at this notion, it related greatly to the chemical reaction occurring in his brain that resembled affection for Kairi. He slid one arm underneath the pillow Kairi's head was resting on, she pulled his other hand to rest on her stomach and he let his fingers play along the fabric. Kairi lifted her head for a moment to pull her hair out of his way. His breath hitched slightly when her neck was exposed to him and he realized how close her body was, pressing into his perfectly. He laid his head on the pillow, his nose close enough to breathe in the scent of her hair and his mouth exhaling on the back of her ear.

He watched as her skin prickled with goosebumps and the tiniest shudder rocked her small frame. Sherlock felt himself harden though he tried to refocus his energy. His hand splayed across her stomach now and he could feel the deliberate, forced depth of her breaths. She was trying to maintain control. It made Sherlock smile slightly. His erection hardened further and he gave a satisfied moan into her neck when she gently pressed herself back into him. He felt her shudder again and there was a powerful need growing inside of him.

Kairi was doing her best not to squirm too much. Sherlock was radiating heat against her, she felt it through her thin clothing and it penetrated her skin and was driving her mad. She arched her body against him gently, she couldn't resist the breath on the back of her neck and the hand that was spread across her stomach and making small circles with its fingertips. Sherlock had ignited something in Kairi that she believed was long dormant.

"You cause the most inhuman-," He pushed his hips against her, "-reactions in me." He pressed his lips to the top of her neck, right behind her ear and she shuddered again.

Kairi bit her lip, closing her eyes as she tentatively reached her arm up and back to encircle his neck and her fingers played in his hair, "I believe that is a  _very_  human reaction Mr. Holmes." She heard his chuckle in her ear as his mouth pressed to her skin again, with more pressure and the slick wetness of his tongue gently prodded that spot. She let out a ragged breath, no longer caring what his intentions were - she just wanted to take it as far as he'd let her - as she arched her body, further pressing her backside into his stiff erection. She felt as the fabric of her dress gave way to his hips and his erection gently pressed up against the bottom of her thighs and deliciously close to her opening.

"I find myself unable to resist you. Its most infuriating." He muttered, biting her shoulder and hearing her moan.

She rolled quickly, taking his mouth with hers and muttered between kisses, "You can hate me later." She groaned as she threw her leg over his waist and pulled him closer to her. Their bodies pressed up against one another and his arm came from under the pillow to wrap around her shoulders and hold her in place as his other hand slowly moved from her lower back to hold her thigh as he pressed himself against her center. His hand snaked beneath the skirt of her night gown to find that there were no barriers between him and her skin and he growled against her mouth. He pulled back to force his her head to the side with his, attacking her neck while listening to her gasp for air and he moved against her, his fingers reaching closer and closer to the lips of her vagina. He felt her heat and her wetness almost instantly and took the time to cup her in his hand, applying a gently pressure to the sensitive skin there. She arched her back against him, pressing her breasts against him and the rest of her against his fingers as he began to tease her flesh.

Kairi let out a gasp as Sherlock scooted her up further on the bed, his finger dipping into her center and his mouth kissing down her neck and her chest. Her eyes rolled into the back of her head, her breathing was frantic as he pressed into her deeper, gently rubbing and applying pressure to the spot inside of her that made her legs go weak.

She whined most impetuously when he removed his finger from her, letting his hand trail along the path towards her breasts. As they moved across her stomach, Sherlock busied his mouth with her neck and shoulder again and pulled her back down roughly to push his bulge against her.

His hands reached the band of her built-in bra and fumbled around for a few seconds, he growled against her neck, biting down gently when the fabric refused him access, "What is this damned thing?"

Kairi let out a laugh at that and Sherlock rolled them over to pin her beneath him. His hands were on either side of her body and he kept his pelvis dipped into hers, he looked very serious and Kairi was desperately trying to keep in her laughter, "I'm sorry." She said with a hand over her mouth, trying not to giggle.

Sherlock gave her a grave sort of glare and then dipped himself on top of her, pressing every feasible inch of himself against her, "You're trying to annoy me." He muttered against her lips and she took the moment to pull in his bottom lip and bite it gently. He growled again against her lips angrily and reached his hand between them to tease the sensitive flesh that met his hips. Kairi gasped at that and Sherlock took this opportunity to deepen the kiss and truly taste her arousal for him. He sat up abruptly and Kairi stared at him, worried she had done something wrong.

"Sherlock? I'm sorry - do you want to stop?" Kairi said, putting her elbows down beneath her to lift herself up to look at him.

He shook his head, his eyes dark and his chest heaving, "Take it off. I'm going to test its incendiary properties."

Kairi smiled at him and sat up, chuckling, "You're not burning it, I like it." She crossed her arms.

He looked cross, "Take it off or I will take it off for you."

She smiled at him and grabbed the hem of the dress and began to pull it up and over her head, he hastily removed his pants, "You cant burn it, its mine. You shouldn't burn other people's things."

He snatched the dress when it was above her shoulders and tugged it off, throwing it to the foot of the bed. Sherlock grabbed the back of her neck and pulled her into a deep kiss and slowly went to lay them both down, pressing his body into hers and their heats connecting. He adjusted himself, pressing the length of him inside of her slit, to rub against her clitoris as they ground into each other, heaving breaths and clashing mouths in swirling, chaotic pleasure.

He pulled himself away with a heaving breath, attaching his mouth at her chest and painfully pulling himself away from her center. His hands slowly dragged down her shoulders and cupped her breasts, the sensation of them fitting almost perfectly into his large hands, his fingertips able to squeeze together to pinch her nipples gently, was extremely satisfying. Especially upon hearing the moan that escaped from her lips as he did so.

The practical part of his mind had absolutely no plan for where his mouth was going, nipping at her collar bones and down to her breasts. His raw instinct and his need to taste every inch of her was driving his desire to touch her, to taste her, to use his hands on her, and eventually his mouth. He wanted to know the scent and sensation of every single part of her entirely. This girl, writhing beneath him and arching her back to press her breasts against his mouth, her legs clamping to his sides as she tried to roll her hips to feel the pressure of his again, it was bringing out thoughts, ideas, and practical application of every skill he possessed to figure out the best possible way to pleasure her. It was an exciting challenge to behold as his tongue flicked across her nipple and he dared to gently take the erect tip between his teeth and gently apply pressure, letting his tongue scrape across it slowly.

Kairi let out another gasping vocalization, her body rolling beneath him, trying to pull him closer, to feel him against every single part of her. She wanted him so badly and it almost scared her if she had the capability of higher thought at this point. She had not had such a deep rooted and impulsive desire take hold of her before. It was terrifying and fascinating - a roller coaster of emotions and sensations, especially at the hand of Sherlock Holmes.

She felt his hand against her center again and his finger slowly pushed inside and began stroking her gently, his thumb resting against her clit and applying pressure and rubbing in circles with each thrust. Kairi moaned deeply, his one hand was holding her neck in place while his mouth assaulted her nipple, and his other hand slowly pumped inside of her, curling gently to apply pressure to the spot that was discovered just a few nights before. Kairi was holding onto Sherlock's shoulders, her fingertips digging into his skin and leaving enflamed trails for just a few seconds until they faded away. She felt her body beginning to respond quicker and quicker to Sherlock's fingers inside of her as his tongue lavished her breasts.

She reached down, to grab his face and pull his mouth to hers. She captured his lips in a harsh, desperate kiss. He pulled apart from her and stared into her eyes, watching her as his fingers worked against her. He gazed down, watching her body moving and heaving, her skin flushing in certain areas and her breasts becoming slightly engorged as she neared her orgasm.

"What do you want?" He said simply, staring into her lidded eyes, consumed by lust.

"Please," Was all she could manage, "I need you." She whispered and whined as his fingers slowed down. He kept his fingers inside, languorously stroking against the perky nub against his thumb as well as the splendid heat surrounding his finger.

"I'm not sure..." Sherlock began, pulling her up, holding her behind her neck and kissing her deeply as his fingers continued their assault.

"I know." She said slowly and grabbed his face to look into her eyes, "I know," She began but her body shuddered as she tried to speak, "I know this is new, but-," She bit her lip and Sherlock grinned, his pace inside her increasing, "But, you're doing a fine job so far." She smiled and she closed her eyes to savor the sensation and Sherlock pressed his forehead against hers, his fingers still playing inside of her. She moaned lightly, "Don't overthink it Sherlock." She then laughed at herself for the ridiculousness of that statement, "We'll figure it out. We'll make it perfect eventually."

He nodded, "All right." He slowly removed his fingers from her and sat back on his haunches, his erection completely rigid and throbbing with need as he watched Kairi rolled over to her bedside table and open the drawer to pull out a condom, "How did you-?"

Kairi smirked at him as she opened the package, "Cause I'm not an idiot. I knew you'd be back for more." She waggled her eyebrows playfully and Sherlock rolled his eyes. That was until she sat in front of him and rolled the condom onto him slowly, staring up at him and smiling mischievously as he bit his lip at the sensation.

Once it was on, Kairi laid back down, pulling at Sherlock's hips as he lowered himself over her, nervously, but desperate to have her. He positioned himself between her legs, but did not enter her. They were face to face now, their chests pushing against one another with frantic breaths, their hearts beating against each other's chest. Kairi reached up and pushed some errant curls from his face, smiling at him sweetly, "Don't be so nervous. We will be fine."

Sherlock nodded and captured her mouth for a heated moment, their bodies pressing against each other but he kept his hips intentionally pulled back.

"Please," She said gently, her hand moving from his shoulder to his chest and stomach, "Please, just let me have this with you." She finished, wrapping her hand around his length and guiding him to her entrance. She kissed him gently and nodded.

Sherlock had a penchant for impeccable self control, but as he pushed against Kairi's heat, he felt every wall he had built against sexual urges slowly begin to crumble. As he pressed further, feeling her heat envelop him, having her scent reach his nose as he reclaimed her lips and slid himself inside of her completely, an uncontrollable groan, reverberating in his chest, rose and came out of his mouth as he kissed her. No experiment, no knowledge, no case, no high, could possibly equate to this sensation. The ecstasy was incomparable.

Kairi gasped as he pushed inside of her, resting for a moment as they both adjusted to each other. Sherlock seemed to stretch her walls around him just enough to provide friction and his length fit perfectly in her, not pressing against the end of her in an unbearable way. He was most perfectly average and it felt wonderful inside of her.

Kairi kissed Sherlock deeply and began to tip her hips against him and she felt his entire body stiffen as his hips pushed further into hers. She smiled a little mischievously as she began to rock herself slowly against him, hearing his breath quicken as he moved his hips, slowly at first, and then at an increased speed. He adjusted the tilt of his hips, trying to make contact with all of her as he pulled himself slowly out of her with a huff of frustrated breath.

She moaned at this movement, his penis filling her entirely and the friction working magically on her insides. She had a tiny idea, a way to possibly help Sherlock not be so self-conscious. It was sad to think she was the more experienced lover of the two.

She grabbed his head, pulling it from the crook of her neck and kissing him with fervor. She looked into his eyes, wracked with focus, and she smiled at him, biting her lip, as he pushed into her with increasing speed. She pressed a gentle kiss to his mouth and wrapped one leg around his hip and he pushed into her with a gasping moan and she rolled them to the side. "I'm going to be on top for a little bit. This is our first time and I don't want you worried about making me come. I just want to enjoy myself. I'm not made of glass and this wont be the last time we do this." With her last comment she recognized the slightest fear in his eyes and she just kissed him as she pulled herself from him, a resounding frustrated groan from both parties was heard. Sherlock rolled onto his back and Kairi climbed on top of him, straddling him slowly and lowering herself onto him with a pleasured groan, watching Sherlock bite his lip and grasp at her hips, his fingertips digging in slightly as his hips rose to meet her.

She smiled, looking down at him gazing up at her in absolute awe. His hands gripped her hips as they began to move slowly, rolling him deeper inside of her and allowing for the perfect amount of movement to provide enough friction for them both. Her hands were placed on his chest as her lower back and her hips rolled against him and Sherlock let a deep growl come from the back of his throat as he tipped his hips upwards, driving himself deeper and Kairi gasped opening her eyes and seeing a fierceness in Sherlock Holmes she had not seen since their previous night together.

He sat up quickly adjusting her ontop of him, "Don't stop." He growled seriously before catching her breast in his mouth and flicking her nipple with his tongue. Kairi let out a pleasured whine as she rolled her hips into him, a glorious warming sensation growing deep within her.

Sensing his orgasm approaching, Sherlock reached down between them and pressed his thumb against her clitoris, rubbing it gently as Kairi began to shake above him. He had no chance to hold back his own release at this point, Kairi's head leaned back, her mouth open in pleasured gasps as his mouth attacked her breasts and his finger assaulted her clitoris. It was mesmerizing and he could not halt the pleasure he was feeling seeing her in such wanton abandon. She was breathing heavily and her muscles began shaking around him and he felt his own release rip through his entire body as he let out an intense moan, his mouth pressed against her sternum as he wrapped his arms around her, holding her close as she continued to roll her hips against him, the slightest bounce with each forward motion. His entire body was vibrating with sensation as he came, feeling her body shuddering around him, but slowing down.

He gripped her hip tightly with one hand, rubbing her clitoris furiously as he helped her hips roll into his. His own orgasm had almost exhausted him, but he was determined to see Kairi's release. Her breathing was deeper, Her eyes were shut tightly, her hair in disarray, as he pulled her hips into his, his mouth claiming her nipple again and she let out a cry that seemed to shatter everything about her. He wrapped his arms around her tightly, moving as much as he could, spent, but still hard inside of her as her entire body trembled against him and he felt the absolute perfection of her walls squeezing him into absolute bliss as she let out an almost anguished cry. They both rocked into each other, gasping, sighing, until their bodies were officially done with one another.

They seemed to crumble back into the bed together, linked tightly, holding one another as their breathing evened and their bodies came down from the perfect high.

Sherlock craned his neck a bit to kiss Kairi's head which was resting on his chest. They both sort of moaned against one another when they felt the pulse of the other's orgasm as their bodies calmed. Kairi lifted her head and smiled at Sherlock with tired, blissful eyes.

"That was fun." She grinned.

Sherlock let out a chuckle at that and the genuine smile on his face made Kairi beam. She stretched up and kissed him sweetly on the lips, "Now for the fun part, clean up." She joked and Sherlock just kept smiling at her, except for when Kairi sort of grimaced, preparing herself to pull herself off of him. They both groaned, with utmost displeasure, and pulled apart, lying down and trying to catch their breath.

Once they had cleaned up they laid back in bed together, their bodies entwined, as close as they could possibly be, snuggled under the covers so that their noses touched. Kairi kept placing gentle kisses on Sherlock's lips and nose, trying to surprise him each time, but it didn't work and he just laughed at her - really laughed.

They held each other close in this perfect moment, feeling happy, feeling whole.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N
> 
> So there was supposed to be more to this chapter, but I decided to stop it here so you could be happy for a day or so before I ruin your lives again.
> 
> If you cant tell I'm into the more sensual aspect of sex in this story. Erotica, passionate erotica, is fun to write and it works better for these characters than just the crazy hardcore fuck-sesh (not that they wont have that eventually - I mean, every good relationship is well rounded, right??) So I guess this classifies as fluffy smut....Flut...smuffy.....whatever you want to call it, I just hope you enjoyed it. This was Sherlock's first time and I think it went pretty damn well!! Go Sherlock! Lucky him to have an "experienced" partner (har-har, she's been with two other men unsuccessfully) to share it with...
> 
> Personally, I fuckin love it... If you do as well, please let me know. More drama misery and other sexy times to come later on in the story! I promise!


	24. -24-

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is rated M for not so fun reasons. There is some explicit imagery related to statutory rape as well as the process of the investigation of said crime.

Kairi stirred, her body was incredibly warm and she felt relaxed, if still a bit sore and tired. It took her a moment to register that there was an arm draped over her side, curled up slightly so the hand rested on one of her breasts. She looked down and laughed in a surprised manner, turning slightly in the arms of Sherlock Holmes, whose eyes were still shut, even though she knew he was now awake.

"Comfortable are we?" She muttered sleepily as she shifted her body against him, his hand fell away from its perch and he let out a disappointed groan.

"You cannot place blame on me when its my body's natural inclination to touch you." He grumbled, his eyes still closed.

Kairi chuckled, nestling in his arms and scooting closer to him, resting her head beneath his chin. "Still such a man." She sighed and kissed his chest. He hmph'd at her and pulled her a little closer.

"We should get up." He muttered, his hand trailing along her spine slowly and Kairi smiled at the sensation.

Kairi nodded, completely ignoring his statement, "Yeah we totally should." She felt a soft chuckle in his chest, his hand finding its way to the back of her head tentatively, to play with her hair. Kairi was sure that if she looked up at him in this moment, he'd looked most perturbed. Maybe if she started to let him play with her hair while thinking, he'd stop smoking all of her cigarettes.

"Mycroft will be arriving later. He has information on your case." Sherlock said absently and Kairi shot up, staring at him in shock.

"Mycroft is coming  _here_?" She looked terrified. Sherlock only nodded, confused at her reaction, "Oh my god, he'll know!" She almost shrieked.

Sherlock frowned, "Of our sexual relationship? He most likely already does." His hand rested on her side, making lazy circles with his fingertips, cataloguing the sensation and the effects of touching her skin.

Kairi glared at him and slapped at his hand, "God damnit, I wont have any privacy ever again, will I?"

He rose an eyebrow and smirked, "Not likely."

She groaned and got out of the bed, much to Sherlock's dismay, and he watched her naked body, the muscles moving beneath her skin as she speedily walked around her room picking up their clothes which were strewn about. "I'm going to shower, I suggest you do as well. I don't believe smelling like sex is a good idea with my boss coming over." She was speaking rather frantically now, "Oh dear god, I need to air this place out, it smells like sex!"

Sherlock sat up, "There's not really a point to hide it from him." He whipped the blankets off of him and stood to follow Kairi as she ran into the bathroom with all of their clothes in a heap in her arms. "Why does it bother you so much that he will be able to tell? Are you-," He gulped back the nervousness in his voice, "Ashamed?"

Kairi turned back quickly, looking at Sherlock in shock. "No!" She felt horrendously guilty, staring at the naked man standing in her bathroom doorway trying to hide his concern. She dropped the clothes and ran over to him and wrapped her arms around him, standing stiffly with his arms at his sides, "No I'm sorry. Its not that at all. Just, personal and professional life are blending into one another and I was hoping to keep them separate. In most normal circumstances, you don't want your boss knowing about what happens in your bedroom."

Sherlock pulled away from her and placed his hands on her shoulders gently, a wry smile on his lips, "You're engaging in sexual intercourse with your boss's brother, that notion is highly ignorant. Especially because of Mycroft's expertise in reading people."

She glared at him, "Shut up." She huffed and poked him in the stomach, making her way over to turn her shower on. "Are you going to shower here? Or do you want to go get new clothes?"

He glanced down at the floor where his suit was lying in a rumpled mound. Kairi tried to hide her smirk at his disappointment over his wrinkled suit, "I will return home to shower and get dressed."

Kairi smiled at him, "Alright. You can take my keys or leave my door unlocked. I'm going to run and get Appa after I'm done in the shower."

He bent down to retrieve his clothing and began to dress, pulling on his underwear and then his pants, nodding in agreement. Kairi took this chance to scamper over to him, grab his face while he wasn't looking and plant a deep kiss on his mouth. His hands instantly went to her waist and squeezed her gently as they kissed, she pulled back, still smiling.

"You seem..." He investigated her features with a smile threatening his mouth, "Content."

Kairi smiled wider, "So do you." She poked him in the chest and her eyes flickered down to the slight bulge below his waistband. His eyes followed hers and then he looked back up at her, glaring. She patted him on the cheek, "Glad I could bring out your humanity Sherlock."

He grumbled slightly as she turned to her bathroom counter and grabbed a hair tie. She pulled her hair into a bun atop her head and Sherlock watched as her body moved in perfect concert, the way her breasts shifted as her arms lifted, her stomach lengthening and her back arching ever so slightly. His eyes went back to her face and she was smiling deviously. He shot her a glare as she turned to hop in the shower while he finished getting dressed. "I will be back in half an hour."

Kairi smiled, the hot water feeling fantastic on her skin, "Very well!" She let her thoughts take over when her home went back to silence.

She had to admit she sort of enjoyed this relaxed aspect of Sherlock. He still couldn't take a good teasing, but she assumed that he would eventually adapt or in the least, start ignoring her. He seemed to uncoil just a bit after their time together and it did really warm her heart. She was happy that Sherlock Holmes was in her life, but her reverie was stunted.

Mycroft was coming over to talk about her case. She assumed John would most likely be coming as well, since he and Sherlock worked best together. She tried to piece her day together before her episode. She remembered the time spent at work as best she could - it all sort of blended together anyway because of the intensity of the workload. She remembered the long, twelve-hour work day from which she returned to take Appa to the park. She remembered meeting with Lestrade and talking to him. Her heart warmed at the thought, so very thankful that he was still willing to be her friend. He did have the biggest heart she knew of. She remembered returning about an hour later, maybe two, coming home to Baker Street and collecting the mail she'd left out. There were letters and there was a package. She intended on taking a bath and she remembered starting the water, but after that is when her memory began to get fuzzy.

Her eyes widened at that thought. She didn't recall seeing a package in her home when she returned, but she wasn't always so observant, especially as tired and distracted as she was. She finished up washing away the sweat left over from her time with Sherlock and her mind wandered back to that for a moment.

There was intensity she felt for Sherlock that she hadn't felt before. She was being honest with him when she said she'd never had an orgasm during sexual intercourse, and here she was, three partners in and finally experiencing it. She had to admit, is was quite amazing, almost violent in the way it assaulted her senses. Of course, that was precisely how she would describe Sherlock and his affect on her. The sensation was overwhelming and a little terrifying. Losing control of your body in that matter, was very new to her. She was surprised it happened at all, but in the end, her desire for Sherlock had won over. She had honestly never been so captivated by a man. It terrified her.

She thought about Sherlock, the slight fear she remembered seeing in his eyes. She knew that he must have felt it too, the loss of control, the terrifying realization that the frontal lobe was no longer in charge of your thought process and your body ignored all other sense of purpose in order to achieve its goal. She was proud of him in that sense, letting himself go. He retained himself quite well for the first time. It was a short, but rather powerful session and she had the sinking suspicion that he had been doing research on the topic of sexual intercourse. He seemed to have a sense of practical knowledge and when combined with his overwhelming vivacity and power of observation, it seemed to be exactly what Kairi had needed.

Her hands paused as she washed herself, her eyes gazing off into nothing as she thought about Sherlock Holmes, sitting diligently at John's computer watching pornography and taking notes. She began laughing hysterically, trying to keep herself from slipping in her shower and killing herself. They'd need to sit down and discuss his sources of research, maybe entertain the idea of being more experimental in their exploration of each other's body. Now that they were together, Kairi saw no reason to be shy any more. Sherlock would take this on like anything in his life. He would want to discover every single aspect of it and know it perfectly. Kairi tingled a bit at that thought, though most people would cringe at the idea of being someone's research. She honestly didn't mind. If Sherlock didn't react that way to her, she'd probably be disappointed. Her sexuality was relatively stunted. She didn't have much experience and she didn't spend too much time thinking about it. Her sex drive had been in the gutter after her father passed away and she began traveling. When she landed in London, feeling a bit better about things in general, spending a year of her life there and having relatively decent work relationships with people, she felt a sliver of confidence returning.

Sherlock's entrance in her life was something that brought out a feral side to her poor dopamine-deprived brain. She was terrified of him at first, because he was mean and cold, but like almost everyone else in the known world, his brilliance was fascinating to her. And his voice, well forget about functioning properly if he did manage to get something out of his mouth that wasn't scathing.

You could look at him once and dismiss him as strange looking, his face almost too intense with its sharp angles and cold eyes. The longer you ended up staring at him, the more fascinated you became with him, the more beautiful he was. There was a symphony to his features, how they melded together to form a cohesive whole, centered around his eyes that burned with intensity. Whether it was emotion or fascination or cleverness, Kairi couldn't always tell, but his eyes gave away a lot that the rest of his body didn't. The more time she spent with him, the more she knew how incredibly deep Sherlock Holmes actually was. There was no denying he was different, though now she liked to peg him as any "normal" horny man. The way his brain worked, almost trained and refined to a perfect instrument was something that no one else could do.

Sherlock Holmes was not actually as sociopathic as he stated, he just had a more refined way of dealing and disposing of emotion and sentiment that he deemed unnecessary. He was fascinating and she was excited to see just how their relationship would evolve. She had no expectations of him turning into this White Knight. He always would be somewhat distant, especially around others, but she knew that he cared. She just had to figure out how he would process that sentiment and express it. It would be a steep learning curve, but she would do it. She would learn what she needed from him in order to feel like he was still interested in her companionship. Every relationship was made up of give and take, they would develop it on their own terms. Understanding each other and learning to communicate would be an integral step. It would take some time, but it would happen.

She decided she'd been in her shower for long enough and she got out, drying herself off, leaving her hair up in its crazy bun as she toweled all the water off of her skin. She was happy she didn't have to blow dry her hair again. It was getting long and almost annoying, but she hadn't grown it out in a very, very long time. She decided that it was a time to start trying new things.

She dressed quickly in jeans and a comfortable jumper, sliding on some slippers and she went over to Mrs. Hudson's to retrieve Appa. Within seconds of knocking on her door, she heard a scrambling of nails on tile and then the sound Appa's nose at the crack in the door and his slight whine as Mrs Hudson acknowledged the knock.

Mrs. Hudson opened the door slowly and Appa sort of snaked his way through the tiny opening, looking like his ribs collapsed to push himself between. Kairi chuckled as he wound around her, leaning his body against her and his tail beating against her legs as he whined happily to see her again, "Hello my love." She muttered, kneeling and taking him into her arms, rubbing his back and belly as he quivered against her.

"Oh Kairi!" Mrs. Hudson finally said, "How are you doing? Are you feeling all right?"

Kairi stood up again, Appa leaning heavily against her and causing her to go off balance a bit till she adjusted, "Yes, I'm feeling better. Everything seems to be okay, but Sherlock, Mycroft, and probably John will be coming over later to discuss what happened. I don't really remember it." The thought of the box popped back into her head and she felt the tiniest sliver of dread curl inside of her. She tried to shake it off as she smiled at Mrs. Hudson, "Thank you so much for watching Appa. I'd have him in the hospital with me if I could, but I'm very grateful that I have friends willing to take him in case of emergencies."

Mrs. Hudson sort of waved her off, "Oh of course dear, he was a joy to have around. Very calm, hardly barks! With his size, he's really very gentle and such a good foot warmer." She chuckled at Kairi who laughed as well. "He's welcome here any time."

Kairi nodded, "Thanks Mrs. Hudson," She felt an overwhelming surge in her chest and she leaned in and hugged a surprised Mrs. Hudson tightly, "Thank you for everything."

Mrs Hudson squeezed her back, "Of course dear. You're very special to us, you know. The boys adore you. That's a hard thing to accomplish. Speaking of which, hello Sherlock!" She said over Kairi's shoulder.

Kairi blushed slightly as she pulled back from Mrs. Hudson, looking up the steps and seeing Sherlock at the top of the stairs, slowly making his way down.

"Mrs. Hudson." He nodded his head in greeting as he came to stand next to Kairi. Appa pushed his way between them, leaning against his mistress. Sherlock looked distastefully at the dog who seemed to wag his tail cheekily.

"You're taking good care of her I presume?" She shook a finger at Sherlock.

A smirk ticked at the side of his mouth as his gazed flickered to Kairi for a moment, something mischievous broiling behind his eyes, "Yes, I'm taking it very seriously." He looked over to Mrs. Hudson and smiled in his normal way and she just nodded, not catching the implication that made Kairi's insides begin to twist in on themselves.

"Well you two go have something to eat then," She turned to Sherlock and poked him gently, he brushed her finger away in mock annoyance, "You make sure she's fed. She's not like you, you know, normal people need to eat and sleep."

Sherlock nodded to Mrs. Hudson a cheeky glint in his eye as he looked at Kairi, "I promise, I shall ensure she is well taken care of."

Kairi narrowed her eyes a bit at him, trying to be all subtle and teasing her in this manner.

"Very good!" Mrs. Hudson patted them both on the shoulder, "Go get some rest dear and be decent Sherlock."

Sherlock only nodded his head and placed a hand on Kairi's lower back, his fingers applying a gentle pressure to the base of her spine where it curved. She tried to keep her breathing even.

"Thanks again Mrs. Hudson." Kairi smiled and turned away from Sherlock's hand and walked back over to the entrance to her flat with Appa and Sherlock in tow. They got inside and Kairi shook her head at him, "You're such a bastard."

He was hiding a smile again as she looked at him, "I haven't the faintest idea of what you mean."

"Yeah okay." She muttered sarcastically and then walked to her kitchen, inspecting her cabinets and pulling out some supplies.

"What are you doing?" Sherlock asked as he sat down on her chair, placed strategically so he could glance at her in the kitchen when needed.

"Making some dinner for you and the rest of everyone else who shows up tonight." She was busying herself with ingredients and then she glanced up at Sherlock, "Do you guys like spicy things? I've got a good pasta recipe I think John would like, but I don't really know what you and Mycroft eat..." She paused, adjusting some of the items on her counter, "Except the souls of the unborn."

He smirked at that, "I've retired that diet. It gave me indigestion."

Kairi's head shot up, looking at Sherlock in pure shock, "Dear god, did you just make a joke?"

He looked at her, seeming disinterested, "I have a very refined sense of humor, its lost on most people."

Kairi laughed at him, "Oh my god, alert BBC! Sherlock Holmes has a sense of humor!" She noticed his playful frown and she went back to pulling out the different spices needed for her meal.

"I don't know what Mycroft eats, but I assume it would be boring and tasteless." He sort of grumbled, turning in his chair to see Appa sitting at his feet, staring at him expectantly. He stared back at the dog, disinterested.

"Well, surprise for Mycroft then, I'm making some cajun pasta!" She smiled and then glanced up at Sherlock to see him having a staring contest with Appa.

There were a few beats of silence and Sherlock finally spoke, "What does it want?"

Kairi rolled her eyes as she pulled out some sausage from her fridge, " _He_  wants you to pet him."

Appa's tail began to wag and Sherlock looked at him in shock, "He doesn't usually show a preference for me."

Kairi chuckled as she began chopping up ingredients, "I believe you have deduced that incorrectly. Dogs are smart creatures. He probably figured out you're okay now, by the way we've interacted."

Sherlock's eyes widened, "Are you implying your dog knows we had intercourse?"

Kairi laughed at him, outright, "Dear god man, no! I don't think he's figured it out on that level, but he knows its different between us - no yelling or hitting going on, so that's a bit obvious." She saw Sherlock smirk at that, "They're good at reading people's energy." She felt like teasing him a bit more, "I'm sure he senses your  _affection_." She noticed his lip curl in revulsion at the mention of the word and she tried not to giggle.

He reached out tentatively and patted Appa on the head sharply twice. The dog seemed to smile at him and then turned himself around, wedging himself between Sherlock's legs and pushing himself against him, "What's happening?" He asked nervously as Appa's tail swished across his legs.

"He wants to you pet his butt, its his favorite spot." Kairi stated matter of factly, trying to keep in the laughter threatening to escape.

With widened eyes, Sherlock stood quickly and Appa scampered away to the kitchen. He followed suit, unbuttoning his jacket and leaving it on the counter. He rolled up his sleeves and walked to Kairi's sink to began washing his hands, "May I assist?"

Kairi nodded, smiling at his domesticity, and handed him a knife and a few links of sausage, "Slice them into half inch pieces for the sauce." She went back to chopping onions and bell peppers, throwing them in a simmering pan with butter and garlic and spices. When she looked back at Sherlock, she noticed he was focused intently on cutting the pieces into precise slices. She tried not to chuckle, his focus quite endearing and exact, "It doesn't have to be exactly half an inch Sherlock. Its an approximation." He glanced up at her, hiding his sheepishness rather well as he began to chop the sausage a little less delicately.

She went back to her ministrations, adding a can of tomato sauce to her pan, "So when is John coming?"

Sherlock finished a link and began another, "I told him I would text when Mycroft arrives."

Kairi smiled at that, grateful for John's acceptance of their privacy, "That's very nice of him. You can text him when the food is done, so he can eat with us. I assume Mycroft wont eat in front of us because it insinuates weakness."

Sherlock smiled at that and nodded, "Very well."

They continued preparing dinner in silence, letting the sauce simmer for a good twenty minutes. She walked to her fridge and pulled out a bottle of chilled red wine that Lestrade had recommended she try. She uncorked it and poured a glass for herself and looked at Sherlock who sort of shrugged in assent. She smiled and handed him the glass before popping the cork in and putting it back in the fridge.

"Lestrade would probably kill me for chilling the wine, but warm wine is gross." She muttered taking a sip and it was surprisingly sweet.

Sherlock grinned at that a little, "You two are still amicable?"

She glanced at him, wondering if jealousy was the reason behind that statement, but it didn't seem to be. Sherlock had been the technical victor in that competition, if that's what you'd call it.

"Yes, very. We discussed our relationship and we wish to remain friends." She sipped her wine, "Does that bother you?"

He looked at her, serious, but honest, "No."

She smiled at him, "Good, cause it wouldn't matter anyways." He scoffed at her.

Kairi went back to the boiling pasta and the simmering sauce, mixing everything appropriately while Sherlock watched her. She seemed to be an adept cook, watching and attentive to her apparatus. He didn't know a damn thing about cooking, his knowledge stopped at the point of making coffee and ordering a curry in for take out. He did not have a very deep appreciation for food, understanding its purpose to sustain him, but it was not something he generally thought of often. She turned the burner off for the sauce and then walked to her refrigerator to pull out a white tub labeled Sour Cream. He watched as she scooped the entirety of the small tub into the sauce and began to slowly mix it in, changing the color from an almost violent orange to a more subdued hue. He had to admit it smelled quite enticing.

"Where did you learn to cook?" He found himself asking. The desire to interrogate her was a little strong, there's only so much you can glean from a file.

She stirred the pasta again and covered the sauce, "My mom taught me some stuff when I was younger. But living on my own and traveling a lot, I learned how to save a lot of money. First it was just eating simple pastas, stir fry, and ramen, a lot," She chuckled, "Eventually, I started to treat myself once or twice a month and try something new. It didn't start out well, but I eventually got better. Traveling helped me experience a lot of different foods, so eventually I just ended up really liking to cook and bake."

Sherlock nodded his head, looking perturbed as she glanced up at him, "What is  _ramen_?"

Kairi smiled at him and walked over to him placing a gentle hand on his shoulder, "Oh you poor thing. What a sheltered life you lead." She said jokingly and he shrugged off her hand.

"You're patronizing me." He growled as she walked away and went to strain the pasta. She poured the sauce over the pasta and began mixing it all up together.

"Yes, yes I am. You went to Uni didn't you? And you never had ramen?" She sounded shocked, but just chuckled at him, "You missed out on some of the essential college experiences. Ramen! Sex! I'm sure you missed out on the drugs and partying too."

He looked a bit ashamed at that moment, "Mostly, yes."

Kairi glanced at him looking a bit sad. She walked back over to him and placed her hand on his neck and her thumb traced his lower jaw, "Hey, whatever that shame is from, I don't care, especially if its in your past." A look of relief seemed to flood his features, "We both have a lot of things that we've dealt with. We can deal with them as they come along. We don't need to bare our souls just because we had sex." She chuckled, "We just seem to have this relationship business a bit backwards." She saw the tiniest smile threaten his lips and she got up on her toes to place a gentle kiss there. "Go ahead and text John, the food is ready."

A few minutes later, John was at her door, met happily by a wholly wagging Appa who was excited to see his new walking companion. "Hello there!" He smiled at Sherlock and Kairi, his eyes widening seeing Sherlock with a glass of wine in his hands. "You've got him drinking wine now? What else? Do you think he'll deign to actually eat with us?" John chuckled, ignoring Sherlock's haughty scoff as he went to give Kairi a kiss on the cheek. He did his minute Doctor thing, looking in her eyes a bit and checking the tone of her skin, "How are you feeling?"

Kairi smiled, "Good actually. I'm still tired and sore from it all," She saw Sherlock grin into his wine glass over John's shoulder and she wanted to glare at him, "But other than that, I feel good. I've made dinner."

He nodded and smiled, "I'm glad you're feeling okay. I'm excited for dinner! Molly tells me you're a great cook."

Kairi smiled and then felt very guilty, "Oh I should have called her."

John waved his hand at her, "She's at work anyways, plus tonight is also about the case. We need to figure out who is coming after you."

Kairi sighed, "Yes, of course." She looked sadly at Sherlock who was staring at her now, concerned, "Well lets eat. I assume Mycroft will be arriving soon. I'll make him one to go."

Kairi gathered bowls and spooned large helpings of her food into them. She was starving and so she naturally assumed everyone else must be as well. She handed the boys their bowls and then grabbed her own, setting it on the table and went to grab another glass for John as well as the rest of the bottle of wine. They sat together and chatted amicably. John was lively, talking about walking Appa and trying to take him for runs, though it seemed impossible because the dog's legs were practically longer than his.

The conversation was light and funny. They nibbled on food between. The time was full of smiles and laughs. They pretended to ignore the last few days worth of drama, simply enjoying each other's company, cracking jokes at each other. John complimented Kairi's cooking and she was surprised to see that Sherlock had eaten his entire bowl. She tried to hide her smile over being successful in getting Sherlock to eat a whole meal. She was immeasurably pleased.

They sat comfortably for a while after they finished their food, sipping on their wine slowly and chatting about a few things. Kairi told the story of her learning to cook again. John mentioned that his specialty was burnt water. Even Sherlock laughed at that one. The night was going well and the three of them felt comfortable together and there was a sense of joy in Sherlock's chest, realizing that John greatly approved of Kairi. He could not be interested in a woman who John did not get along with.

At that moment, his phone began to buzz in his pocket and he pulled it out, staring at the screen. Everyone went silent as he swiped it open.

_I have arrived -MH_

Sherlock looked up at John and then at Kairi who had shifted from happy and light to full of dread. "Mycroft has arrived." He said quickly standing, grabbing his dish and placing it in Kairi's sink. He walked to the door, Appa behind him as he opened the door and Mycroft seemed to materialize.

"Evening." Mycroft said, nodding to Sherlock who returned the nod. He stepped inside, carrying a brown accordion type folder and looked at Kairi, showing his half-smile which was always sort of pedantic, but tonight it looked pitying. This simple notion made the dread inside Kairi's chest sink into her gut.

Kairi stood slowly, "Hello Mycroft."

"Kairi." He nodded and glanced at John. The both shared a tip of the head while Kairi started shaking and grabbing at plates and glasses, moving to the sink to begin to rinse the tableware and her pot and pan.

"Want me to do that Kairi?" John said, approaching her side slowly.

She shook her head, smiling at him foolishly, "No, I need something to do."

John nodded, "Alright."

He made his way over to Sherlock who was standing with Mycroft and they were discussing something quietly.

Kairi was trying to ignore their conversation. Its much harder to be in a room with people specifically tasked with talking about you. She kept catching glimpses as the water ran on high and she wiped dishes clean to put them in the dishwasher.

She heard Mycroft say something softly, "Are you sure we should not discuss this first? Alone, perhaps?"

She heard John chime in, "I think she deserves to know who is after her. She might be the only one able to shed some light on all of it. The 'why' aspect."

Mycroft sighed and sat the file on her coffee table and unhooked the flap and pulled out a single manilla folder. "This information is sensitive. It took a lot of effort and compromise to get it." He handed it to Sherlock who hesitated to open it.

Kairi finished rinsing the dishes and she figured she could load it later. She was shaking as she walked over to the fireplace and started loading logs to get a fire started. The boys were all sitting now, a space between John and Sherlock on the couch was saved for her, but she was feeling claustrophobic already.

The fire was ready and she sat on the floor, staring at her booted feet as Appa walked over to her and practically curled himself around her next to the fire. She smiled at that, running fingers through his fur.

"Kairi." Mycroft said simply, "Are you sure you want to be here for this? I can very easily give you a summary of the information I uncovered. Some of it will be...shocking, to say the least."

She sighed, "Its my life, I should probably understand what's happening to it." She reached out her hand, closing her eyes against the weight of the file placed in her hand. It weighed almost nothing, but emotionally, she felt like the pressure of it could sink her into the ocean.

"Very well." He said, letting go of the file and handing a copy to John. Sherlock was already holding his, but for the first time he almost didn't want to read what was inside.

Kairi opened the file slowly and on the front page was a picture of her father. She felt tears welling in her eyes as she glanced at the picture. Her father was a handsome man. He had a sharp chin and kind features, a killer smile and light eyes, and hair that went grey early in life. In this picture he was in his full dress blues, his official photo for the Marine Corps. He wasn't smiling, but it still pained Kairi greatly to see him looking so alive.

She skipped the dossier on her father and found the picture that stopped her cold.

It was a crime scene sort of photo of a stuffed dog lying on her floor.

Memories came flooding back, the panic in her chest gripped her tight and the tears began to fall as she felt like her breathing was being halted. She felt herself sob, but she wasn't sure sound was coming out of her mouth.

The memories were stronger this time. She remembered someone holding her tightly, whispering kind and soft words into her ear about love and friendship. She remembered the pain of him touching her, the fire his fingertips seemed to leave on her skin. She felt herself shaking as she remembered him pinning her down, touching her, kissing her face gently, and stroking her hair as a fire erupted between her legs. She remembered his face, smiling down at her, telling her how special she was. How they were meant to be friends for a long time. How he would protect her.

Kairi scrambled to her feet quickly, ignoring the calls behind her, ignoring the footfalls following her as she threw herself into her dark bathroom, not bothering with the light, and kicking the door shut. She crumbled to the ground as she choked on her own breath and began crawling to the toilet. She reached out into the darkness, gripping the cold porcelain like a life preserver and emptied out her entire stomach. Her entire body was shaking and her body was wracked with violent sobs.

She couldn't shake the sensation of rough hands on her, of her body being held down, the hot kisses on her face, unaware that such pain could exist in this world. She remembered crying, asking, begging for him to stop, but he wouldn't. He told her that she was special to him, that she was made for him. He'd never had a friend like her and he wanted to show her how much her loved her.

Kairi remembered thinking that presents were a much better way to show that you loved someone. She drew pictures for her mom and dad. She brought her sister flowers when she said she loved her. This wasn't love, this was pain, this was complete, utter, and devastating sadness. She was seven at the time.

The door flew open, darkness casting a shadowy silhouette in the doorframe. Kairi had emptied out her stomach completely and was lying on the floor now. Her body curled in on itself as tears streamed down her cheeks and she shook with the horror of those years her brain fought so hard to forget. She felt hands on her and she began screaming, flailing wildly as her fists connected with whatever was there.

She felt her wrists being held and she began fighting harder, not sure what was real and what were memories at this point, "NO!" She yelled frantically and kicked out her legs at whoever was holding her. "STOP IT!" She screamed again, her voice ripping through her vocal cords with terror.

"KAIRI!" She finally heard a voice bellow and it shocked her out of her memories and fear.

The voice was deep and loud, it wasn't the sound of soft, misleading whispers in her ear. The grip on her wrists loosened slightly and she began to calm, if only slightly. She couldn't remember him ever loosening his grip on her until he was done.

The light flipped on and she was met with the face of Sherlock Holmes. He looked upset, his breathing heavy. She noticed his lip was bleeding.

"Sherlock!" She croaked and then threw her arms around him and began sobbing uncontrollably, "Sherlock, I remember." She rasped against the side of his face, "I remember."

His arms wound tightly around her, holding her against him like a lifeline, "You're here now." He said, his voice shaking with something that sounded like fury. "You're here and I have you."

She cried harder, hearing those words. He wanted to protect her, to assure her that everything would be okay, that she couldn't be hurt anymore. How little he knew. These wounds were far from being healed.

"I want you to focus on my voice Kairi." It was deep and soothing, almost barely audible above her uncontrolled sobs and wheezing breaths. "I want you to remember where you are." He pressed his head against hers, holding her to him, "Focus on my breathing. Breathe with me." He stated flatly and Kairi tried to feel the expansion of his chest against hers. "You're in London, you're in Baker Street."

She heard the clattering of nails come from the doorway and she opened her eyes to see Appa moving stealthily into the bathroom and shoving himself against Kairi and Sherlock who were sitting on the floor a mess of tangled limbs and tattered clothing. She pulled Appa into the hug as well, and far away she noticed that Sherlock opened his arms to allow the dog to come closer. Kairi buried her face between Sherlock's chest and Appa's fur, one arm around each of them and tried to breathe.

She was twenty-eight, not seven.

She was in Baker Street, not in her old bedroom.

She was in Sherlock's arms, not the monster's.

She matched her breathing with Sherlock's, his chest expanding into hers, his heart beat calming the hiccuping sobs that were calming with each minute that ticked by.

They sat together, fur and limbs, for what seemed like days, but it was only a about an hour. Kairi shielded herself against the terror, the shame, and the hatred broiling in her gut, with the two most important males in her life - still alive. She gave another sharp sob at that and Sherlock tightened his arm around her.

She gripped his shirt so tightly she felt like she would rip it and she sat up, staring right at him, probably looking like she just crawled out of a blender. She stared into his eyes that flashed between concern and pure unadulterated rage. She noticed that hip lip was bleeding and her hand reached out to touch it gently.

"I'm so sorry." She whispered.

He smiled at her ruefully, "Its not the first time you've struck me." He said quietly, reaching up a hand to cup the side of her face, "I am the one that is sorry."

Her face crumbled as tears began flooding back and Sherlock pulled her into him embrace. The pain that was rolling off of her in tsunami sized waves crashed into him and gripped his heart. He had to admit, he felt ashamed, reading into the file Mycroft collected and becoming absorbed with the information.

Twenty one years ago, when Kairi was seven and her family was living in San Diego, the first time, Kairi had been brutally raped by an assailant that was listed as unknown in her medical file. Her parents had found her, the morning after, in her bedroom, shaking, bleeding, and crying silently, staring at nothing. After immediately calling an ambulance, they tried to approach her and she had fought against them viciously, minimally harming both her mother and father in the process. The ambulance had arrived shortly and she had to be restrained as they loaded her into the back of the truck, her parents in tow.

The police were called with the report of the rape and the family was met by detectives at the hospital. The investigation file was included in what Mycroft had obtained. Kairi was stabilized as best as possible when she arrived. She had stopped bleeding, but she was still unresponsive, eyes wide open but not looking at anything. She refused to speak and barely took breaths, only allowing herself gasping breaths every fifteen seconds or so to reclaim the air her body was denying. They had to supply her with oxygen.

A rape kit was ran, taking a few hours to meticulously collect evidence off Kairi's young and battered body. Swabs were taken from her mouth, vagina, anus, and surrounding skin. They carefully combed through all of the hair on her body for deposits of skin, saliva, or other bodily fluids. The part underneath her nails had been scraped for possible evidence. They took her blood stained and ripped nightgown and placed it in an empty bag. They collected the semen that had been leaking out of her body with the blood. They took pictures. All the while, the seven year old Kairi was completely unresponsive.

DNA results were not included in the police report, though her father had submitted DNA and was cleared of all suspicion.

That was when Sherlock had stopped reading, hearing Kairi's deep sob and watching her violent escape. It did not take him long to notice that she had only looked at the photo of a stuffed dog as he ran after her. A stuffed dog, shown in a family photo included in the file, in the arms of a round-faced child, with curly blonde hair, a pure smile, and clear, happy eyes.

That photo was taken when she was six.

He held her tightly now. Few things seemed to rile him enough for an emotional response, harm against children and harm against the ones he loved. The anger that rose within him was something completely new to him. He felt no fear at this moment, holding onto a sobbing woman, he felt absolute rage. He wanted to find this person who was taunting her, the person who had torn her apart, and personally relieve them of their miserable existence. Sherlock wanted to be the one that saw the light leave his eyes.

He noticed John standing just outside the doorway, tapping his foot gently with concern, "John I think its best if you and Mycroft go."

John stood in the doorway, glancing down at the scene, which at another point in time might seem endearing and his heart seemed to break. Kairi was curled into Sherlock's lap, with Appa practically in hers, encircled by the detective's strong arms.

Kairi took that moment to look up, "No!"

Sherlock and John both looked shocked as she wiped at her face with the sleeves of her sweater, "No! I need to find out if its him. I need to find out what's happened." She looked frantic.

"I don't think -," John began.

"John Hamish Watson don't you  _dare_  tell me what to do right now!" She spat at him, a fire in her eyes that Sherlock and John both thought was gone.

John seemed to almost smile at that and nodded, "I wouldn't dream of it." He said.

Appa removed himself from the embrace and John reached out to help Kairi up and Sherlock got up quickly after that, his arm wrapping protectively around Kairi to give her some balance.

"I need whiskey." She murmured to Sherlock who nodded and walked her over to the couch and sat her down. He looked at John who went to get her a tall glass and Sherlock walked over to her coat and pulled out her cigarette and lighter, staring at the antique piece. How far away all of that seemed from this moment.

"Are you sure you wish to resume Kairi?" Mycroft spoke softly but deliberately.

Kairi nodded her head sharply, glaring at the fire, "I need to know. He's taken enough away from me. I need to know what he's planning so I can stop him."

There was a beat of silence and she glanced at Mycroft who smiled at her gently, "I believed you were genuinely strong Ms. Aria," He began and Kairi felt the sting of his words, "This only confirms it. You are a remarkable woman."

Kairi stared at him slack-jawed, as a tear slid down her cheek.

Sherlock walked over to her, placing the cigarettes in her hands as John handed her a glass of whiskey. Kairi sort of chuckled at them waiting on her hand and foot.

"I think Mrs. Hudson would forgive you for smoking this time." Sherlock muttered and John placed a bowl in front of her to use as an ashtray.

Sherlock sat next to her, pulling out a cigarette and placing it between his lips to light it as Kairi took a long sip of whiskey. Sherlock exhaled and handed her the cigarette and she took it greedily as he lit one for himself. He sat back placing an arm around her and resting a hand on her lower back. She was leaning forward, sort of hunched over herself, dead-gripping her glass of whiskey and her cigarette, but the simple gesture of his hand on her back was comforting. She wanted to shrug him off, believing his gesture was done out of pity or because he was trying to show her that she wasn't the damaged, disgusting human being she felt like, that he probably thought of her as.

But she didn't. She remembered that Sherlock Holmes wasn't a pitying sort of man. He had no hidden agendas. He was doing this because he wanted to touch her, to comfort her. Sherlock touched her because he wanted to, not because he felt like he needed to hold her together.

She turned slightly, to stare at him with confusion written on her features. As her eyes met his face, the hazy smoke curling around his features, his eyes met hers and her breath was momentarily taken away. His eyes were full of pure, calculated control. His mind was set on something and Kairi had a suspicion that she knew was it was. She felt it burning in her gut:  _Vengeance_.

Mycroft cleared his throat and began to talk, "As many of you may have noticed, there is an alarming amount of information that is missing from these reports. The-," He began and glanced at Kairi who seemed like she was trying hard not to wince, "-incident itself was not available in public records."

Kairi looked up, surprised.

"What?" Her and Sherlock both spoke at the same time.

Mycroft tried to hide a smile at their intelligence, "There was no court case. No official, completed police report. The paperwork you hold in your hands was something that had been buried deep within the walls of Camp Pendleton. All of the information that was gathered from evidence was transferred to the local Marine base for reasons unknown."

Kairi scowled at that, absolute rage burning in her gut, believing that the rape of a child,  _her_  rape, had been covered up by government officials.

"Why?" Sherlock intoned.

Mycroft looked at him airly, "I'm not quite sure Sherlock. As I told you, the information I uncovered was meant to stay that way." He cleared his throat, "However, that would hardly stop me." He pulled out the section of his report about Kairi's dad, "Due to some creative digging, I discovered some highly interesting information about Kairi's father's employment records."

Kairi frowned, "He was training troops then, in Pendleton. I don't remember what it was, but I remember my mom talking about it later. Something like biochemical warfare or weapons specialization. He was in MARSOC at one point - a sniper."

Mycroft cleared his throat again, looking a bit uncomfortable, "I discovered that your father never officially resigned from MARSOC." Kairi's eyes widened in shock, "He had taken on the duty of recruiting prospects and training them. He was the top recruiter at that time in his life: highly recommended and well respected. Most of the files pertaining to his trainees have been destroyed. You're father instructed some of the greatest soldiers to ever come out of MARSOC. There was an unusually high success rate in his classes - usually they moved on to professions in higher levels of government espionage, for example the CIA."

Kairi took another long swig of whiskey, barely swallowing before she took a long puff of her cigarette. She took a deep breath, "So you're telling me father was essentially, a spy?"

Mycroft's lip twitched at that, "No, but he trained them."

Sherlock was eerily silent for all of this and Kairi could practically hear the gears whirring in his head. He leaned forward and grabbed the file he was looking at before Kairi's episode and took it up in his hands, flipping through it and taking in the information at great speed. Kairi watched him for a moment before Mycroft cleared his throat.

She looked up at him as he was getting ready to speak, but Kairi heard Sherlock speak first.

"Your father trained the man." Sherlock looked up at her, his gaze slightly frantic as his mind began making connections, "The government covered it up."

Kairi began shaking again but Sherlock leaned into her and wrapped his arm around her, placing his mouth to the side of her head and kissing her gently. She was afraid of the contact, that she would feel repulsed by it, but it was calming, hearing him in her ear instead of the whispering, shaky voice of her attacker.

"You're here. You're protected." Was all he said.

Kairi took a deep breath.

"Do you remember anything else from that time?" John asked, gazing at the file with knowing eyes. He was in the military so some of the filing information was familiar to him.

Kairi shook her head, "I remember his face in a way. He was around my family." She looked up at Mycroft, "My father used to bring home a lot of young Marines who didn't have families to spend holidays with."

Mycroft nodded and went to speak again, rolling his eyes as Sherlock interrupted him.

"There!" He spat, yanking out a page which looked like a long list of numerical data, "You're father was smart. He kept an enrollment sheet but its designed to look like data. All of these numbers are different and in two sets, like coordinates. Each set of numbers differs in length and make up. There's two identical pages in here, almost perfectly identical, except one set of numbers is missing. Its been replaced in the next one. None of his other pages are similar to this. This page is significant." He glanced at Mycroft who was already inspecting the pages and then to John who was fumbling a bit.

He looked at Kairi who was staring at him, a little fearful. He felt the excitement rush into his system, as all cases seemed to make him feel a little more alive. He watched her, she seemed to be preparing herself for something. He sighed and tried to reign in the elation he felt at discovering some sort of clue, "This means we can find him." Kairi seemed to relax slightly, his hand returned to her lower back, "I refuse to stop until we do." She smiled at him weakly.

"Look here," John muttered, "This coding system is something I've seen before."

Mycroft nodded, "Yes, it seems quite complex if its code, using both numbers and letters - probably a Cesarean cipher."

Kairi chuckled ruefully, "What the hell is a Cesarean cipher?"

"One of the simplest and most widely known encryption techniques. It is a type of substitution cipher in which each letter in the plaintext is replaced by a letter some fixed number of positions down the alphabet." Sherlock muttered, staring at the page and closing his eyes as information flooded his mind. He went through the most commonly used alpha-numeric dispositions, using the numbers to shift the letters into place only to wave all the nonsensical information away. "You're father only used the numbers one through twenty-six in order to code this information. However a shift cipher is too rudimentary, any cryptologist would see through that in a second. You're father was smart. He knew what they were doing. He probably found out about it. You're father wanted this data to be found by someone." He glanced at Kairi, "He left it for you."

Kairi widened her eyes, "I'm not a cryptologist. I'm a computer scientist. I barely have an idea about how that works."

"Cant we enter the information into some sort of program to analyze it?" John mentioned.

Kairi looked over at John, "Yeah maybe, but we'd still need to discover what kind of encryption its under. Most programs run decryption based on the type of encryption. We could throw it in there without any key, but its from over 20 years ago. It could be something no longer included in standard encryption software."

Sherlock gasped, "Oh brilliant!" He shouted which scared the living daylights out of everyone around him. He turned quickly and kissed Kairi sharply on the mouth and jumped out of his seat. The look of shock on Mycroft and John's faces was priceless. He was pacing now, his eyes not focusing on anything around them, "You're father is  _brilliant_ , Kairi!" He shouted again and then began talking at breakneck speed, "You're father created this cipher, one that's been out of use for almost twelve hundred years! Its a polyalphabetic-numeric cypher based on the work of Al Kindi, its very much like the Trithemius cipher, in which you switch alphabets randomly throughout the message, signaled by a capital letter or a number. For Kindi, each letter of the message is using a different set of alphabets. He started with a tabula recta, a square with 26 alphabets in it. Each alphabet was shifted one letter to the left from the one above it, and started again with A after reaching Z. Your father used this for each number, indicating a specific coordinate point in the tabula recta. Its just different enough for a computer to pass it over and even top cryptographers to ignore. John! The number!" He shouted.

"Uh, 1,17, stop, 14,3, stop, 19,21, stop, 7,6, stop, 10,5, stop." John said a bit flustered while everyone stared at Sherlock as he continued to pace.

"Oh you, Mr. Aria are a brilliant bastard. Each stop changes the alphabet. You'd want Kairi to be able to figure it out so it cant be too complex-,"

Sherlock suddenly froze, and grabbed a pen and paper that was lying on Kairi's counter. Kairi stood slowly, making her way over to him to see what he was writing down. The image of tabula recta registering in his mind. In snap shots, he used the coordinates Kairi's father supplied, pulling out each individual letter and wrote it down on the paper.

**_R_ **

He stood for a moment, his eyes flashing over an inverted tabula, he figured that Kairi's father would rotate the tabula in clockwise orientation with each set of numbers. The next one was easy.

**_O_ **

He flipped the table in his mind now with ease, his eyes almost instantly finding the letter for the coordinates.

**_M_ **

He was close now, with another flip.

**_A_ **

One more, back to the beginning now.

**_N_ **

"R-O-M-A-N! Roman!" He said with a grave excitement, the letters written on the page a little haphazardly. He looked at Kairi and she was shaking as she stared at the letters.

Her eyes were wide and her mouth seemed to tremble and she shook her head, "No." Tears began streaming down her cheeks, "No that's not right." She pressed the heels of her hands into her eyes and shook her head, "No that's not it!"

"But the code -," Sherlock began, regretting it right as he said it.

She looked up at him, her eyes were vacant, almost lifeless and she swallowed heavily, "No,  _Roman!_  Its not  _Roman_!" She practically shouted and threw herself into Sherlock's arms.

He held her closely as she cried, soundless sobs escaping her lips again as she practically melted against him, her body shaking in his arms.

"Its  _Moran_." She whispered, her voice shaky and cold, "Sebastian Moran."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for taking the time to read this chapter. This is the main story arc of the story, coming back full circle. It was a tough chapter to write, very tough, but I'm certainly proud of how it turned out. 
> 
> If you're interested in the information I used for the cipher, I suggest you check out some articles on cryptography, its amazingly fascinating.
> 
> I hope that some of the classic Sherlock Holmes fans enjoy the turn this will take. I am a big fan of the original stories and I hope to do both the TV show and stories justice.
> 
> Please leave comments if you have any questions or concerns or you want to yell at me for something. I enjoy reading people's reactions and hearing from them. Thanks again!


	25. -25-

Kairi slowly deteriorated over the next two weeks as Sherlock, Mycroft, and John dove head first into the case of Sebastian Moran. They were trying to get more and more information from their sources in the government, the homeless network, and criminals who tended to snitch for the right price. There was no length Sherlock wasn't willing to go to find Sebastian Moran. However, in his fervor, Kairi was left in the way-side, consumed by her past.

Molly was busy with work, but would try to visit until Kairi shut her out completely. She wouldn't even respond to Lestrade or Mrs. Hudson, who both threatened to break down the door unless they heard from her. She spent most of her time watching Disney movies, drinking whiskey, and smoking. She could barely sleep with visions of fiery hands gripping her skin and leaving painful, boiling welts, waking her to breathless and dry sobs that wracked her body. The time spent in the darkness, alone was debilitating and all she could feel was a desperate fear. Even Appa couldn't pull her from her misery. She fed him and took him out for walks in the middle of the night when she knew no one would be awake, only to ensure that she kept her hermithood. Eating was practically impossible. The smell of food made her sick and trying to ingest anything except coffee and whiskey ended up in a violent puking session that left her dizzy for hours. Her soul was sick and slowly disappearing.

Sherlock was gone almost all the time and Kairi didn't necessarily mind. He hadn't really tried to talk to her and most of his attempts were rebuffed by her inability to stay focused. She'd asked him to leave twice at the beginning of her seclusion and he hadn't returned since. She wanted to be alone. She didn't want to be around anyone. She wanted to disappear.

Being sexually assaulted at such a young age made sense of her adult life. Symptoms such as depression, anxiety, insomnia, lack of intimacy, trouble forming relationships, and much, much more harrowed the life she could remember. All of that could be related to that one act committed over twenty years ago. The truth and severity of how damaged she felt broke her heart and scared her. There was a sort of 'lightbulb' moment that went off in her mind upon the realization that her assault validated the theory that she was truly faulty. She spent her entire life feeling out of place and feeling inferior to everyone around her. Those dark moments, when fear and self-loathing would possess her, now seemed to have more truth to them. No one else seemed to be so broken and dysfunctional. She had lost so much and she barely gained an inch while fighting back. She didn't want to fight it anymore. She couldn't excuse the years of shame and disgust that all broiled to the surface. As much as she tried to tell herself it wasn't her fault, she still felt the pang of utter helplessness, that she was somehow to blame. Her parents had protected her and tried to help her, but they were probably too afraid to dig deeper into the issue that she seemed to forget. Plus with all of the cover up work going on, it was likely that the only shrink she would be allowed to see would be military personnel or someone attached to it. They would probably just try to strengthen the mental block she'd created instead of helping her deal with the pain and the self-hatred that resulted from her attack.

Those times she did talk to psychiatrists were usually to deal with some sort of behavior issue, like acting out in class or starting fights. Kairi rarely spoke to anyone in her younger years, but she managed to get into a lot of fights, usually with bullies who ended up picking on the wrong kid on the wrong day. When she went to a psychologist about the death of her father it was to deal with her grief. Though that act was primarily pointless, she eventually learned to shove it all away and go through her day to day life, at least pretending like she had a purpose. She always had dreams of traveling, so she did so, but it was empty and she barely enjoyed it. There were glimpses of happiness in her past, but it was rare and at this moment, it hurt to think of them. Everything was corrupted by shame.

She had talked to Molly for a little bit, before closing her out. Precious Molly who was an emotionally open and vulnerable person had sat and cried for Kairi when Kairi could barely shed the tears herself. Now she understood what her mother had meant about not liking to be around people who were sad. Seeing Molly, so full of emotion and empathy made Kairi want to die a little quicker than usual. Molly's love for her was unwarranted, Kairi had nothing within her deserving of that much devotion. At this point, she felt empty, unloved, and so very invisible. She was glad Sherlock was not around because she couldn't bear to look in his eyes and see the tiny flicker of some emotion pass over them. Every emotion she saw from her friends was just pity. She couldn't feel anything else. There was no worse way to sully her than what Moran had done. Everyone knew of her stigma, it was a red letter carved into her chest, and there was no coming back from it. She would always be  _tainted_.

Molly encouraged Kairi to seek out some professional help, to deal with the wounds that were forced upon her, but Kairi wasn't sure she was ready for that. She wasn't sure if she could face it head on. She was terrified of ripping those memories open even further and exposing some more dark knowledge. The toy dog had done enough emotional and psychological damage to cause a physical seizure. Her brain flat-out refused to deal with it and it actually caused a physiological reaction. She was terrified of what would happen if she actually talked about it. As most of her memories from that time were still rather fuzzy, she was afraid to unearth that she had done something to deserve it. As if a child could deserve such a horrible plight.

She just wanted to be alone, with Appa, forever. She wanted to go back to the days when she was traveling, alone and almost content with her stoic relationship with the world around her. She didn't feel deserving of companionship. She barely felt deserving of life. The government's action had basically made her unimportance objective. They had asserted without a reasonable doubt that she did not matter to the rest of the world. The importance of a man like Sebastian Moran was worth more than the soul of a seven year old. Her entire life was not worth sacrificing the use they had for this rapist. The past stated this as a fact. She was  _worthless_.

She tried to remember vague things about Sebastian when she was growing up but there wasn't much available to her without causing severe panic attacks. She remembered he was young, probably only ten or eleven years older than her and he was brought to her family as a friend. She had vague memories of her dad looking at him proudly, encouraging Sebastian to think of himself as part of the family since he had none. Her father was always a trusting, loving individual, and she had paid the price for his sentiment. She refused to become a victim of those faulty notions ever again. She didn't hate her father, she couldn't really. It truly was not his fault that he had willingly walked a monster into their home. How could anyone have possibly known that a bright and promising teenager could hide such a black soul inside of him? She didn't think it was possible, but the ire she felt for the man who had violated her was only surmounted by what she felt for herself.

She sat curled up on her chair at this moment, wrapped in a blanket with Appa and watching  _Tangled_ , brokenly humming along with the music as she chain smoked. She felt empty. She felt dead inside and she hated it. She hated the fact that she felt like all the love in her heart had suddenly and instantaneously dissipated. She inhaled the smoke of her cigarette and it felt as if her body was hollow, only filling with wisps and tendrils of burnt tar beneath her skin.

She heard her door open and she flinched. She was sure that it was locked. She didn't want to face anyone at this moment. She wanted everyone to forget about her and just leave her alone to whittle away like Ms. Havisham in her darkened home with memories of happiness decomposing around her. She stayed silent, focusing on the movie, pretending like nothing else in the world mattered at that moment.

Out of the corner of her eye she saw Sherlock move around her home in measured movements, opening up some windows and collecting trash in silence. He was cleaning up her home and she hated him for it, hiding away her shame in a bin.

Kairi focused on her movie as much as she could, but nothing they were saying was making sense. She was angry, irrationally angry at Sherlock Holmes for showing his face in her hovel. She wanted nothing more than to tell him to leave her be, throw something at him, to scream at him or hit him, but in the end her feelings dissipated. Everything went back to emptiness and she couldn't muster up the dignity to care.

He slowly approached her and sat on the love seat far from her. There was a pain that seemed to radiate in her gut over how far away he was. He didn't want her anymore and though she already assumed so, she felt a sob form in her chest. It the first time she actually felt like crying since that horrid night a week ago.

He cleared his throat and she just sucked on her cigarette, refusing to look at him, refusing to acknowledge just how much he didn't want her.

"I'm sorry I've been away." He said softly, his fingers flitting across his lap, "I have been working with Mycroft to get more information about Moran." His voice was calculated, almost cold and it broke Kairi's heart further. She remained silent, the desire to cry no longer seemed worth it.

He continued, "We haven't been able to find out much information since not much is known. There are barely any records of his existence in the first place. Evidently, a few years after your incident Moran defected and not much is documented about his whereabouts since then. There were few sightings in his lifetime, but they were sporadic, all over the world."

Kairi continued to watch the bright colors on her TV not really hearing or seeing anything. She didn't care about Sebastian Moran, she hated him, but other than that hate, there was nothing else left inside of her for him.

"I would be interested to hear what you are thinking." Sherlock seemed to mutter.

There was silence as Kairi stared at the screen and saw nothing. Her heart barely felt like it beat and Sherlock being so close and so far at the same time evoked nothing from her.

"Nothing." Kairi replied softly, a dreadful smile creeping onto her hips. She began to chuckle softly, her body began shaking, the cigarette in her hand flicking off ash as she quaked. The chuckle mounted eventually, into a frantic laughter, "I feel nothing!" She said almost maniacally, bringing the cigarette to her mouth and inhaling deeply. "Not a damn thing." She finished on the exhale and her body went back to stone.

"I see." Sherlock replied softly. He stood abruptly and Kairi closed her eyes. She refused to watch him walk away, that might be too much for her fragile sanity.

Instead, he walked over to her and knelt before the chair. Appa took this moment to leap off of the chair and join Sherlock on the ground, leaning his furry body against the detective in solidarity. Sherlock took the blanket that covered her and he pulled it down over her head to expose her face. Her skin was splotchy and looked ashen. Her features seemed gaunt, almost slack, as she stared past him, at her television with nothing written on her features. Sherlock assumed that she may not have showered or eaten in the last few days. She looked truly horrible and it pained him.

Kairi finally glanced at him, but only quickly, panic welling in her chest. She didn't want to see him pity her, she didn't want to see his disgust with her obviously foul state. She felt the emptiness inside of her eating away at everything she ever felt. Like she had felt towards Molly, she wanted to be as far away from this man as physically possible. She couldn't be near him and not feel disgusted with herself. She had let him touch her. Now he was tainted, too.

"I believe it would be wise for you to seek help." He said softly, his hands still resting on the blanket on her shoulders.

"I don't need help, I need a lobotomy." She growled back at him with eyes shut tight.

He dropped his head, staring at the floor for a few seconds, "That is the second to last thing I wish to see happen to you." He glanced back up at her, she was staring away at the TV, but her eyes weren't actually absorbing anything, they were glassy and empty. "You have a brilliant mind that needs to be utilized."

She shook her head violently at that with no verbal response as she did everything but look at him.

"You're important..." He began, his voice seeming to grow thick, "To me."

Kairi scoffed at that and shrugged his hands off of her, standing and pushing past him on the floor and walking over to her kitchen counter to light up another cigarette from the dying one between her fingers. She tossed the smoldering stub into a pile of burnt out cigarettes inside an ash tray that was once a bowl.

"You don't believe me?" He stood, his voice deep.

Kairi inhaled on the cigarette and scoffed at him, still refusing to meet his glance, "I don't know what to believe anymore. Nothing is true, evil exists, nothing matters. Especially not me."

Sherlock seemed to growl at that. Kairi looked at him in that moment, quickly and then she looked away in pain. He seemed to be blank, unmoving. The man who had passion for her, who seemed to look at her with care and concern was gone. He was replaced with someone who looked just as empty as her.

"I believe you misunderstood why I have not made myself more available to you in the past week." Sherlock stated flatly.

Kairi rolled her eyes, leaning against the counter, "It's because I don't want you here and you don't want to be here. There's nothing to misunderstand about that. It's  _perfectly_  understandable."

Sherlock shifted in her peripheral vision, seeming to walk closer to her in slow, measured steps, "That is untrue." He was only a foot away now and he stopped, "I've kept myself from you because I am unsure how to process my..." He paused, seeming ashamed, "Emotions."

Kairi shut her eyes at that, not looking at him and willing the tears to stay put, "You don't have to process anything Sherlock. It's done."

Sherlock seemed perplexed, "What is done?" His tone deadly cold.

Kairi shook her head, "Everything!" She almost shouted, but she felt like she barely had the breath to do so, "Everything! All of this!" She waved her arms around at her flat and then sort of flapped her hands at Sherlock, "You ignoring me for the case, the fucking case itself, me pretending to have semblance of a life and romance and sex!" She cackled at that, "I'm a fucking idiot for thinking that I could do this - that  _we_  could do this."

Sherlock was silent for a few minutes just staring at Kairi, "I find myself displeased with your assessment."

Kairi shook her head, "I don't care what the fuck you think about my  _assessment_." She mocked him. "This whole thing was a joke Sherlock. We aren't capable of love. I sorely misinterpreted what I thought was going on between us." She flicked ash off of her cigarette into a bowl on the counter and made her way around to her cabinet to pour herself some whiskey, "We had a good run, but I can't do it anymore."

"And my opinion doesn't matter?" He followed her around the counter and stood about a foot from her, his voice was rumbling and Kairi ignored the way it made her feel. She didn't want to feel anymore, it always got ripped away from her. She couldn't handle the last shards of her humanity ripping themselves from her heart. She couldn't handle the shrapnel that would be left over from her obliterated love for Sherlock Holmes.

"No." She said impetuously and took a long sip of her whiskey, practically slamming the glass on the counter. "No it doesn't matter."

Sherlock grabbed Kairi's wrist and turned her sharply, the cigarette dropping from her fingers and falling to the floor with a crash as his foot stomped down on it. He pushed her up against the counter and held her there with his body, his hands gripping her wrists and controlled anger on his face. "I believe it does." He rasped heartily.

Kairi tried to push him off but he held her still, "Well it doesn't matter to me." She spat and struggled again but he pushed himself closer, "I don't want to do this anymore." She growled.

"Why?" Sherlock growled against her struggling in his arms, but held her still. "You seemed to take so much time befriending me, trying to coax out some splinter of humanity left inside. Why did you bother staying in my life? I'm convinced its because you wanted to. So why now, is it different?" He growled at her and she continued to fight against him valiantly and he was happy to at least see her vivacity in that. "WHY!?" He bellowed.

"BECAUSE I DON'T DESERVE IT!" She screamed at him and they both fell silent, forgetting they were fighting, and staring at each other. Kairi, vulnerable, wide eyed and scared and Sherlock, pained and almost desperate. She ripped her wrists from his hands and pushed past him, but he followed.

"Why do yo think that?" He asked quietly when she reached for her pack of cigarettes, but Sherlock was faster, snaking around her and ripping them from her grasp. "Why do you believe you are undeserving?" He growled.

Kairi sat down hard on the love seat, emotions flooding her entire body, causing it to shake with unshed sobs. She placed her shaking head in her hands, refusing to look up at Sherlock, "You don't want me anymore. I can tell. You've been gone, throwing yourself into this case, probably as an excuse so you don't have to be near me. I'm broken. I'm damaged. I'm  _used_." She gulped back the horrifying disgust she felt for herself. She felt fingers on the side of her face as Sherlock lifted her eyes to meet his as he kneeled in front of her and she saw the anger in them, disgust. She closed her eyes and tried to look away, but he wouldn't let her.

"That is far from what you are." He said seriously and she opened her eyes to glare at him for being such a liar. "My sentiment towards you and my physical reaction towards you have not changed, though you should be taking better care of yourself." He seemed hesitant to continue as Kairi's scowl deepened, "The reason I have not been around you is because I am  _angry_." He looked at her and Kairi felt the disgust return, "It is an illogical anger based on the fact that I could not protect you from all of this. I have an absolute, and blinding rage towards Sebastian Moran." Sherlock's gaze deepened to the same cold, deadly calculated stare and his voice remained unwavering and deep, "He is trying to take everything from you -,"

"He already has." Kairi whispered, the hole in her chest ripped open and a flood of emotions came over her: her love for her friends and the happiness she felt being with them; the absolute terror over her safety and how everything that mattered to her could be taken away; her love for Sherlock Holmes was blinding and painful and she wanted it all to just go away. She couldn't handle losing it all, having it taken from her. She needed to be rid of it so it didn't hurt so much to fear her love for them. She felt as if she were as fragile as glass in that moment, a look, a breath could send her into complete oblivion.

"Shut up!" Sherlock growled at her sharply and roughly pointed her chin to face his, it shocked Kairi back into a responsive state, "He has not taken everything from you, despite his vile efforts. You remain strong and intelligent though you believe yourself to be shattered and undeserving." His thumb stroked the side of her face, "He is trying to take everything from you but he cannot. You must not let him."

Kairi stared at him disbelieving, "How? It's already gone Sherlock. I can't be happy again. I can't let him take anything else from me. This already hurts too much." She felt empty again, a pain so violent in her heart that it threatened to burst from her chest with the pressure of anguish.

Sherlock looked gravely at Kairi, his eyes wide and staring at her. He leaned in quickly and took her mouth sharply with his, almost breathing life into shattered frame of a woman. He pulled back and they both were breathing heavily, "I refuse to let him. I will not have another madman steal from me. You are  _mine_  and that will not change because of a monster's machinations."

Kairi's eyes went wide, utterly shocked at the vehemence in Sherlock's voice. Her breathing was heavy and she felt her resolve shatter. All of the hatred for Moran, the disgust she felt for herself, and the pain that reverberated through every piece of her, all shook to the surface in the form of gasping, painful sobs. She felt Sherlock pull her into his arms and hold her while she completely fell apart. Everything she had dreamed of, everything she had wanted for herself was tearing at her mind, fighting against the vile memories that were trying to suffocate her.

She felt like she was sinking in quicksand, the thick viscosity of her hatred and sadness coating her skin and rubbing it raw as she tried to fight back. She felt it, in her mouth, trying to coat her lungs, to stop her from screaming, to stop her from fighting and she didn't know if she had the strength to fight back any longer. She felt weak. She always felt weak.

Sherlock's arms around her ended up enveloping her and picking her up. Kairi barely registered what was happening as he sat her down in her bathroom and turned on her tub. Her sobs began to wane as she watched Sherlock pour in some of her vanilla body wash as the water began to rise. She watched him as he walked over to her medicine cabinet, pulled out the bottle of lavender oil, brought it to his nose to sniff, and as he nodded his approval, he poured some into the tub. The familiar and comforting scent reached her nose as her tears returned and heaved in her chest. The simple sentiment of Sherlock pouring a bath for her, knowing exactly how she liked it without her ever telling him seemed to shake her to her core. This was the nicest, most personal thing someone had done for her in quite some time.

He walked over to her and stood her up and undressed her quickly. He tossed her soiled clothes into the corner and guided her to the bath and helped her in. Her body was shaking as it reacted to the warmth that enveloped her. She hadn't realized how cold she had felt until the heat surrounded her and her never-ending shivering faded.

She glanced up at Sherlock as he undressed. She saw the beginnings of arousal and her eyes widened as a shot of lust surged through her body - she did not think she'd ever feel that way again - and she looked away in shame.

"I apologize," He said quietly, "My reaction to your body is out of my control. I promise, I have no ulterior motive." He reached for her and turned her head to look him in the eyes and she seemed afraid, "If you prefer, I will leave."

Kairi shook her head and Sherlock nodded, climbing into the large claw foot tub and setting himself behind her and pulling her against him. The warmth of the bath and the heat of Sherlock pressed against her seemed to get her lungs working again and Kairi felt herself take her first full breath of oxygen in what seemed like days.

She felt his hands rubbing her skin and his touch didn't feel sexual, it felt soothing. His fingertips massaged her skin gently, carefully and she felt heat return to her insides against her wishes. His powerful hands sat her up and he rubbed the skin of her back, scooping up water and pouring it on her skin, raising goosebumps as the heat dripped down her, he soothed them away with his fingertips.

She felt him shift behind her, sitting up and closer to her as his hands ran down her arms, sloughing away the grime of shame and days of neglect from her skin. She heard his velvety voice in her ear and shuddered, "Lean your head back and close your eyes."

Kairi followed his directions and she felt the warm water pour over her head and begin to soak her hair. She felt his fingers, gently dragging through it, to get it saturated with water and shampoo. His adept fingers began to massage her scalp in gentle circles and she couldn't help but let out a small moan that surprised her. She heard Sherlock's chuckle from behind her and glared at him with her eyes closed against the water and soap. She felt herself slowly relax more and more as his fingers splayed across her scalp, refreshing her knotted and overlooked hair.

He grabbed the bottle of conditioner after her hair was rinsed of excess suds and he began to run his fingers through the strands again, trying to loosen knots, and help it regain its usual softness and luster. After he rinsed her hair again, he let his hands go back to massaging her limbs. He could feel the difference of her size in his hands. Her shoulder blades seemed to be a bit sharper and her face seemed slightly slimmer. He knew first hand, the effects of starvation on a stressed system and after her bath he promised to get some food with her, even if it meant breaking his cardinal rule of not eating while on a case. If he were to take care of her, that meant he must take care of himself as well. This idea was new to him.

He leaned back against the porcelain tub and pulled her back against him. She leaned against him with a sigh and he wrapped his arms around her small body, cocooned in his own. She seemed to sag against him, her face turning gently so she could rest her head against his arm as her breathing seemed to normalize. He reached a hand up to push some strands of wet hair off of her face and she sighed, sinking herself further into him.

"I needed this." She said quietly, her eyes closed. She felt Sherlock sigh against her. The comfort of his arms around her made her heart patter with appreciation and sadness. "And you're right. I will talk with someone. A bath wont fix everything that's wrong with me."

Sherlock adjusted behind her, lifting her chin so he could look into her eyes as she twisted gently in his arms, "There is nothing wrong with you. You have been affected by someone who wronged you. There is a vast difference." He saw the tears brimming in her eyes as she smiled at him weakly and he leaned down and placed a gentle, but cautiously passionate kiss on her lips. He cleared his throat, "I have a psychologist who may be able to help you deal with what you are going through."

"A colleague?" She muttered, turning herself and leaning against him.

"Of sorts." Sherlock replied hesitantly, it was not something he enjoyed discussing, "He is someone I trust. We have discussed aspects of my personality and how my mind processes things." Kairi was silent, just listening as Sherlock spoke, his voice lulling her into serenity, "When I was growing up, I had socialization issue which led to problematic interactions with my peers. My parents urged me to seek help. I did it to appease them. Things were difficult and it pained them."

Kairi turned and looked at him in the eyes, curious and sad. That admission of his younger years being difficult had a great weight to them. Sherlock did not often discuss his past, which Kairi was okay with, it was his personal journey and she understood not wanting to dig up old wounds. She smiled at him weakly, showing her concern and her care for him, "I'm sorry."

Sherlock nodded, not showing much emotion since he no longer felt much towards his dead father, "It happened in the past. Due to my ability to prioritize necessary information and emotion as well as some fruitful discussion with this psychologist, I was able to move past it."

Kairi smiled, "That's good. Your brilliance really is a great gift." He nodded in response, "I would love to meet him." She replied and then turned to let water out of the tub.

"Are you finished?" He asked, curious and maybe disappointed, he was enjoying this moment with her. He had missed her.

Kairi smiled sheepishly, "No, I'm just refilling the tub a bit with hotter water. So we can stay in longer."

Sherlock smirked, "Very well."

She smiled and turned on the faucet, mixing in new, hot water and letting the old water drain a bit more before plugging it back up and leaning against Sherlock again.

She let herself feel happy in this moment, though it terrified her greatly. The man holding her was a unique individual, shunning his concern for her seemed unfair and almost depraved. She tried to grasp the notion that if this man could care for her, then perhaps, she wasn't as tainted as she believed.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

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>  _A/N_   
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> _Thank you for stopping in again. I figured last night's chapter was BIG. This one needed a little bit of fluff to keep us all sane. Also, to progress the plot as well!_  
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> _I apologize, this might be my last update for a while. Vacation is coming to a close and its back to the grindstone. I'm hoping to get as much as I can done at night, but we shall see - as I'm also feeling a stupid tickle in my throat...I will be bitter if I get sick, and I also apologize if this made this chapter suck... I thought it sounded pretty good, but I also fell asleep during dinner...So I may not be the best judge of character right this minute._  
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> _Plus...SHERLOCK IS BACK! I cannot wait to watch the new series and see what they have in store for us with our favorite consulting detective! Obviously this is AU now, but I didn't ever think it was going to line up, so...I guess it always was? Ish? Whatever...Its a story and I'm having fun!_  
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> _As usual, reviews, favorites, etc. are greatly appreciated. Please let me know what you are thinking!_  
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> _HAPPY NEW YEAR AND FUCK 2013 IN THE MOUTH! Love you all..._  
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	26. -26-

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N Rated M cause you're gonna need a cold shower after this one

_There's been a new development. We should meet. - MH_

Sherlock glanced at his phone, yawning heavily as he placed it down softly and went back to his prior activity. Kairi. She was asleep, heavily, in his arms. They were in 221B today, with Appa resting at the foot of the bed. They would occasionally go back and forth between their two residences, offering up time between for solitude from one another. He was greatly appreciative of Kairi's need for alone time. As much as he cared for her, sentiment was not always the most prominent thought in his mind. She had also admitted that time away from him kept her from violent acts against his ocassional thoughtless diatribe. The thought made him smile just slightly.

Over the past week or so, Kairi had been receiving visits from his psychologist associate, Dr. Arnold Sherman. Knowing the Holmes family for as long as he did, he came to meet with Kairi in her home as a favor to him. They had met every day and spent a little over an hour talking and helping Kairi with her psychological wounds.

Dr. Sherman was an interesting sort of psychologist. He was very current in his studies, especially dealing with trauma and the stress of general to dramatic life events. He had an approach that was not quite common, but certainly gaining ground. Kairi had been skeptic of him at first, but as her relationship with Dr. Sherman progressed, she educated herself on his techniques, and eventually she had begun to be more open to different aspects of healing. She was not a naturopath, nor hokey in her understanding of the human brain - her sister had a very scientific grasp of human brain function so that probably helped - so the idea of traditional talk therapy seemed relatively pointless to her. She had discussed the therapy option with Heather who had some research under her belt for the more intensive therapy type and had admitted to it being a good idea. Also, she couldn't shake the fact that if Sherlock had been friendly with the doctor then he was probably very good at what he did. Sherlock did not associate with mediocrity. For her own good and since she was afraid of rebounding into her pit of despair, she continued with the therapy and ended up enjoying her meetings with Dr. Sherman. Sherlock could already see the difference in her eyes. In the past week, she seemed more alive, being able to discuss the dark going ons in her mind with someone who understood.

He was brought back to the present, as Kairi shifted in his arms, arching her naked body against him as she dreamt. He felt a smile threaten his lips and desire curled within his chest as he gazed down at her, looking foolish, yet somehow delicious in perfect peace.

He decided to put off Mycroft for the moment, leaning down and placing a kiss on Kairi's shoulder which made her stir.

He continued with his mouth, gently plying at her skin as she moaned awake, reaching her arm up to indulge her fingers in his dark curls. He enjoyed the sensation of her fingers tugging at his hair and he felt himself react rather quickly to her movements.

He heard her chuckle as his growing erection pressed into her, "Well good morning to you too." She mumbled sleepily.

"Is this an acceptable form of waking you?" He growled against her skin, taking it gently between his teeth as his fingers moved across her breasts and down her stomach.

She sort of chuckled at that, letting out the tiniest gasp as his fingers found her wetness, "I don't know you'll need to convince me." She replied, pretending to be bored.

Sherlock rolled her over instantly, crushing her body beneath his as he pressed his pelvis into hers, "I do love a challenge."

Kairi laughed as his kisses extended down her neck and to her breasts. His mouth took in a nipple, biting down gently as his hands roamed her skin.

He was excited for her acceptance of his advance. It had only been in the past couple days that she had was willing to be sexual again. Sherlock of course, didn't mind. He was not an overtly sexual creature, but the effect that Kairi had on him behind closed doors - and dare he admit out in public - was one that he frequently had to control. The first few times were nerve wracking for them both, but they took it slow and enjoyed each other, reconnecting on an emotional and physical level. They were quickly becoming proficient lovers.

As she moaned beneath him, he admitted to his body's reaction to her pleasure. It was not only a physical reaction, but rather an emotional one as well. He enjoyed seeing her in the throes of bliss. Very little made him truly happy, especially not case-involved, but seeing her crash around him and fall so gracefully because of his ministrations was something that gave him an immeasurable amount of pride and euphoria. He allowed himself a chuckle in admitting he had found his new drug of choice.

His mouth kissed across to her sternum, down her stomach, pausing just a moment to let his tongue and teeth graze her hip bones as his mouth dipped lower and Kairi's breath hitched.

His phone vibrated again and he growled against her skin. Kairi whimpered a little desperately.

He sat up, looking down at Kairi who was looking up at him disgruntled, though naked and glorious, breathing heavily and a little dazed, "I apologize." Kairi flopped back onto the bed with a huff.

He reached for his buzzing phone and saw that Mycroft was phoning. He growled, understanding that the last thing Mycroft wished to do on any given day was engage in verbal discourse with him, thus it must be important. He answered the call.

"The atmosphere better be on fire Mycroft." He growled testily into his phone.

"When I texted that we should meet, I intended for it to be immediate." Mycroft said over the receiver.

Sherlock rolled his eyes, reaching his hand down to touch Kairi and she swatted his hand away. He frowned at her but continued with Mycroft, "Give me twenty minutes." He looked down at Kairi who rose a disappointed eyebrow, "Make it thirty." She rolled her eyes at him and he tried to keep the smile from his voice.

"I'm in your lounge." Mycroft muttered distastefully.

"Who let you in?" Sherlock growled and Kairi sat up, looking horrified.

"Mrs. Hudson, of course." Mycroft chuckled, "Not that she could have stopped me."

Sherlock huffed and Kairi looked a bit frantic, "Fine, give me five minutes." Kairi kicked him a bit roughly in the side and he let out a huff of air. With a thick voice and a scowl at Kairi, "We'll be out in a moment."

Sherlock angrily dismissed the call - as angrily as you can with a smart phone since you can't slam them shut anymore - and then looked at Kairi who was glaring at him.

"You were going to try and shag me while your brother sat in your front room?" Kairi looked at him indignantly.

"If you wold remain quiet, we may still have the opportunity." He leaned forward and kissed her playfully.

Kairi pushed him away and rolled from the bed, "You're an incorrigible monster."

"Mycroft ruins everything." He spat in his pouty way.

Kairi rolled her eyes at him, pulling her clothing off of the floor and dashing to his bathroom to freshen up. Sherlock glared at the closed door and then huffed with disappointment as he stood to get ready to go meet his brother.

Kairi came out of his bathroom in her jeans and a tank top, grabbing one of Sherlock's unused jumpers to throw over herself. She padded out to the front room as saw Mycroft, in his impeccable suit, sitting in John's chair across from Sherlock.

"Oh dear Jesus, Sherlock, a sheet? Really?" Kairi muttered with her hand to her forehead.

Mycroft looked incredibly unpleasant, "This is not the worst behavior I've seen from him dear Kairi." He almost growled, "At least he stayed inside this time."

She saw Sherlock's lip twitch up into a smile at that and she rolled her eyes. She was unfortunately familiar with his indecency at Buckingham Palace. Sherlock kept his smile, reached out his hand and Kairi walked over to him. He tugged her so she sat on the arm of his chair and he kept an arm around her as he glared at his brother. She blushed furiously.

"God, this is exactly where I didn't want to be." She grumbled. Mycroft and Sherlock took a moment from their glaring match to look at her in confusion, "I'm not a bloody chess piece for you two." She spat and stood up, "I'm making coffee, would you like some?"

"Yes please." Mycroft said politely, adjusting his suit.

Sherlock merely grumbled his assent.

Kairi busied herself in the kitchen while they chatted.

"Information has been unearthed about Sebastian Moran's previous whereabouts." Mycroft began and pulled a file folder out of his briefcase. "You'll not be pleased."

He handed Sherlock a file and he took it quickly to devour the information in entirety. Kairi watched as the two brothers sat in silence, Mycroft patiently waiting and Sherlock digesting a vast amount of information in a short period of time. She watched Sherlock's process, wishing she had a play by play of what was going through his mind. His eyes would move at frantic speeds, closing occasionally to sort information where it was needed, and then open to consume and consume until there was nothing left. She was always impressed by his skill - who wouldn't be? Watching him was like observing an artist at work, the fluidity of his thoughts were lost on her, but that didn't mean that she couldn't appreciate it.

She filled the cups of coffee, stirring Sherlock's just as he liked it but leaving Mycroft's black as she prepared a tray and brought it over. Mycroft smiled at her when she handed him his cup and she smiled back. She reached for her and Sherlock's cup when she was shocked by Sherlock slamming down the file on his lap with gusto.

"Damn!" He rasped vehemently, "I should have seen that connection."

Mycroft took a sip of his coffee, nodding at Kairi, but directing his focus back on his brother, "I believe we have all been a bit preoccupied as of late." Sherlock scowled at him and Kairi wasn't sure if Mycroft just insulted her or complimented her.

"The damn man, his disappearance, his skill," Sherlock growled around his steepled fingers, "An expert marksman, it makes perfect sense. Of course, with his tawdry past, he would be recruited."

Kairi handed Sherlock his cup and he didn't respond as she placed it in his open palm. She shrugged it off with a chuckle. She walked over to the couch on the other side of the room and sat down to sip her own coffee, glancing at the books lying around within her reach. She picked up a copy of  _The Moral Animal_  and began to page through it. She sort of chuckled at the thought, Sherlock reading a book about evolutionary psychology.

"Okinawa, Auckland, and of course the Paktika Provence." Sherlock growled. "How did we not see this before?" Kairi's head perked up at their conversation.

Mycroft shrugged, "It seemed almost too coincidental."

"Nothing is a coincidence." Sherlock growled scathingly, "All of this was engineered. Moran was an accomplice. The Sarin gas attacks in Tokyo."

"I'm sorry what?" Kairi murmured softly, "Did you say Auckland?"

They ignored her, "It seems as if he's been instrumental in this entire fiasco." Mycroft added.

"He committed a crime which was ever so  _sweetly_  swept under the rug," He spat with disdain, "Proceeded to abandoned his county." Sherlock hissed, "Then he decided to freelance. The assassination of that General in Waiouru."

"You said Okinawa?" Kairi piped up, a little louder, "What year was it?"

"It seems he was quite valuable." Mycroft started and received a glare from Sherlock Holmes, "My apologies. He was valuable to a psychopath, which of course isn't a beaming recommendation."

Sherlock closed his eyes, growling heartily, "Moriarty..."

"HEY!" Kairi screamed, gripping her coffee cup with white knuckles.

Both Holmes men looked towards her slowly, surprised. "Yes?" Mycroft replied crisply.

"You said Okinawa and Auckland right?" Kairi muttered sheepishly. Mycroft nodded, "What years?"

"1994 and 1997, respectively." Sherlock muttered. "Why?"

Kairi gulped something back, her hand shaking softly as she placed her coffee cup on the table. "A-and you said the Paktika Provence? In Afghanistan?" She swallowed heavily again.

"That's correct." Mycroft muttered.

Kairi shut her eyes tightly her body tense, "What year?"

Sherlock glanced at his brother momentarily, "2010." He replied stonily, dread gripping his insides as he watched Kairi's fist slam against the table in front of her, causing her cup to stir.

"What is it?" Mycroft asked, genuinely confused.

Kairi shook her head, forcing back the tears as she looked up at the two Holmes men. She swallowed her rage and began, "Okinawa, I lived there from 1993 until 1997, then we moved to Auckland from '97 to 2001." She put her face in her hands and shook her head and she felt tears begin to prickle behind her eyes. "We lived there. We lived  _near_  him.  _Why_  would we live near him?"

Thoughts were rearranging themselves in Kairi's mind. All of those years spent traveling, between 1993 and 2001, her father was always heavily invested in whatever work he was doing. She remembered he was gone almost all the time and her mother spent most of her days worrying and stressed. Those years coincided with Moran's travels.

"Your father was hunting him." Sherlock observed and Kairi closed her eyes in pain.

"In 2010, my father was killed in the Paktika Provence. His body was never recovered." She felt herself shaking, cold gripping her insides.

"He found him." Mycroft said softly, almost sounding sad.

She growled and then looked up at Sherlock and Mycroft with ferocity in her eyes, "Sebastian Moran killed my father. He  _killed_  him." Kairi felt her breath hitch, but instead of tears, she let out an almost inhuman growl as she slammed her fists into the table again, "Damn him!" She screamed and stood up, surprising both Holmes brothers as she walked over to them and grabbed the file off of Sherlock's lap and began to take in the information.

"You're father was tasked with erasing his mistake." Mycroft said with a hint of regret.

Kairi shook her head, looking at the information and confirming her belief, "Me. My father was trying to avenge me." She hissed and threw the file on the floor, "That idiot!" She growled and stomped her foot on the floor, "That maniacal idiot! Why would he be so stupid to go after that monster?!" She yelled to herself, ignoring the Holmes' presence, "How could he abandon us like that?! I needed him more than ever!" She felt tears threatening again and so she slowed her breathing like Dr. Sherman had taught her, forcing the breaths to come from her diaphragm instead of her rib cage. She looked back over at the Holmes brothers who were deep in thought and not looking at her.

"Well, we now know why he's come back after all this time." Mycroft sighed, standing to pick up the file folder and positioning himself next to Kairi.

"You said 'Moriarty'," Kairi added, "Moriarty, as in Jim Moriarty?" She glanced at Sherlock whose eyes shut with force.

Mycroft nodded, "After Moriarty's death, his web of crime dissolved. Mostly. Sherlock had spent most of his time in hiding trying to uncover any remnants. There were whispers of Moriarty's accomplice, but not a lot of solid evidence."

Sherlock's voice made Kairi feel cold when she heard it, "No one knew of the mysterious man behind the curtain. Moriarty was the brains of the operation, but he had a tool he used implement his machinations."

"And you think its Sebastian Moran?" Kairi asked, her voice quaking.

"Yes, there's enough evidence in this file to deuce as much." Mycroft admitted angrily.

"And you said you know why he's come back?" Kairi muttered at Mycroft. To their side, Sherlock stood and made his way into his bedroom. "Why after almost twenty years, does he suddenly find me interesting again? For twenty years I have lived in stunted peace because of him and lost my family to death and madness. Why on earth does  _now_  seem like a good time to fuck with my life?""

Mycroft flinched at her vulgarity and Kairi felt the need to roll her eyes at his properness, "I have an idea." He said plainly as he watched his brother disappear.

"Then tell me." Kairi said seriously, "Why is he back?"

Mycroft looked at her slowly, a grim expression on his face. He looked hesitant, maybe even upset as he glanced at her.

"Its because of me." Sherlock said coldly as he walked back into the front room adjusting his newly donned shirt and pants.

Kairi looked at him, "What? Why? How is that relevant?"

Sherlock looked down at his feet, seeming almost ashamed, "Because of my presence in your life, he has returned to enact his vengeance upon me for killing James Moriarty."

"Moriarty killed  _himself_. How is this about  _you_? He raped  _me_ , he's torturing me!" She almost screamed as Sherlock approached her slowly. "I don't understand."

Sherlock sighed as he stood in front of her, not touching her, as Mycroft sort of faded into the background, "Moriarty's death was the result of his entanglement with me. Your presence in my life has been an improvement to my previous disposition. After Moriarty's death, there was always the risk of someone coming after me and the people I cared for, its why I disappeared in the first place." He sighed deeply, his voice toneless, "Now I've returned and entered into a relationship once I was lulled into a false sense of safety. With you being the one I'm with, not only does he get to settle a score, but he also gets to torture me." He glanced up into her eyes with a slight desperation hidden behind the clarity, "It seems as if I brought you back into the cross hairs by involving myself with you. I regret that decision -,"

Kairi slapped him, hard. Sherlock was shocked, gazing down at her, the ferocity of her gaze and pure seething anger radiating from her. He felt guilt crush his chest as he began to understand just what he had done by allowing himself sentiment.

"You stop that!" She growled at him and he looked up at her confused, "Don't you dare say you regret being in my life!" She hissed at him, "Suddenly, now that you figure he's after you, you'd be willing to toss us aside in order to ensure that I don't get harmed? Stop being such a fucking martyr!" She shouted and he opened his mouth to reply, but he was silenced, "Shut up! If you regret being with me because you don't like me or you suddenly find me abhorrent, then fine! I'll walk away with a kick to your shins and live on! But this regret you're feeling is based off of the idea that a psychopath is using me to harm you!  _Guess what!_?" She yelled at Sherlock who seemed to flinch, "I don't give a damn what he wants!"

She poked Sherlock in the chest and he winced, "You've been one of the greatest developments of my damn life Sherlock Holmes!" Her voice began to shake but she swallowed it down, collecting herself. She took a step forward, getting herself as close as possible, staring up at him as they stood almost chest to chest, "But if you're a big enough coward to completely sacrifice your own happiness, not to mention  _mine_ , for the whim of a madman then you are  _not_  the man I thought you were!" She growled at him seriously.

Sherlock narrowed his eyes at the young blonde in front of him. She was breathing heavily, anger seeping out of her every pore as she stared at him with narrowed, threatening eyes. Sherlock felt a smile creep onto his lips.

"Mycroft, you may show yourself out." Sherlock growled as he grabbed Kairi's arm and tugged her towards his room.

"Oh dear Lord.." Mycroft rolled his eyes as he collected his items quickly, "Animals." He shook his head in disgust and hastily made his exit.

Sherlock tugged Kairi into his room, kicking the door shut with his foot, "What in God's -," Kairi began, but he grabbed her by the waist, turned her quickly and slammed her against the door.

Kairi let out a squeak of surprise as Sherlock Holmes pressed his mouth into hers ferociously, biting at her lips and she acquiesced immediately, feeling his hands grasping at her clothing to move it out of his way. Her arms wrapped around his shoulders, holding him close as he moved against her aggressively. His hands went underneath her jumper and found the skin beneath her tank top. His fingers were almost violent, grazing from her stomach, up to the band of her built in bra. His touch left licks of pleasurable heat as they dug into her skin and she found herself gasping at the sensation. She heard him growl angrily against her lips as his fingers met the infuriating material of her bra and he pulled back to yank off the sweater, leaving her in just a tank top and her pants. His hands fell to the waist band of her jeans and undid them quickly, whipping them off of her legs as she stood against the wall for support, almost completely dazed. Once she had stepped out of them, Sherlock grabbed her by the waist and lifted her, sliding one hand down to grasp her buttocks, pressing her against the wall as she instinctively wrapped her legs around his hips, locking her ankles at his lower back.

He hissed at that, pressing his erection against the thin cloth of her underwear, his mouth leaving hers and attacking her neck in viscious bites and a slathering tongue. Kairi gasped against him, holding on for dear life as he moved against her, the thick material of his pants seeming to cause a friction between her thighs that caused her to shake.

He grabbed at her tank top, yanking the material covering her chest down to expose the skin of her supple breast. He took one in his mouth, hardening her nipple with the pressure of his tongue and with a harsh bite, Kairi yelped and wriggled against him. His arms wrapped around her to hold her in place as he consumed her. His tongue lavished the sensitive skin and she couldn't help but whimper against him, heaving breaths and entwined limbs, as he took over her completely.

His mouth caught hers again in a brutal assault and his body pressed into hers more aggressively. She felt his hips move away in a moment and she whined into his lips until she heard the sound of his belt buckle unfastening and his zipper going down.

He pulled his mouth from hers now, staring into her eyes with an aggressive hunger consuming him. His darkened pupils held an almost murderous intent as they dragged across her lips. One hand was moving against her center, tugging her underwear out of his way. He smiled almost devilishly, " _Never_  call me a coward."

Kairi gave him an impish grin, "Prove me wrong."

His smile widened and his eyes further darkened, staring deep into her eyes as he positioned himself against her opening, and rammed himself into her in one quick, hard, and deep thrust.

Kairi couldn't help but let out a cry at the sensation of him penetrating her so deeply. Her eyes widened with a sense of awe at the pure, unadulterated lust she saw on Sherlock's face. He was thoroughly enjoying claiming her in every fashion. She gripped him as he held himself, deep inside of her, allowing a brief respite for her muscles to adjust to his length and girth. She felt his muscles, tensing and rolling beneath his shirt as her fingers desperately grasped for purchase. They were close now, their faces inches apart. Kairi wrapped one arm around his shoulders to steady herself while her legs shook with anticipation. Her other hand traced to the back of his neck and her fingers lost themselves in his hair, tugging at the roots. He bit his lip gently at the sensation and his eyes fluttered shut for just a moment, reopening with ferocity and a glint of mischief.

She gasped again as he began to move inside of her, a hand moving to hold her head in place so he could watch her reaction to his body taking over hers. He rammed into her, jolting her body in pleasure each time he met with her end. Her legs began shaking, almost feeling weak and he used one arm and the rest of his body to hold her in place as the other hand went to his lower back to grip where her ankles were clasped around him. He gripped her ankles tightly, holding the joints in his hand for a moment, slowing his speed and ferocity to bring mewling screams from Kairi's plump lips.

He felt her hips began to roll into him, creating the most delicious of sensations as her wetness enveloped him and she began to tighten around his erection. He growled, letting his hand fall from her ankles, allowing them to unlock. He dropped his hands onto her thighs, holding them in place as he pounded against her in response to her cries of glee. He growled happily, widening her legs and slipping the crooks of his elbows underneath the bend in her knees and placed his hands against the wall for purchase. There was no space between them now, his thrusts, pinning her against the wall, her legs spread wide, as she opened up completely to him. He would leave no centimeter of her untouched.

Kairi, not usually so vocal, couldn't hold back her yelps of pleasure as he switched his pace, languorously thrusting and holding himself deep inside of her to grind against her heat. She was heaving now, an almost painful heat was burning inside of her core as he rocked against her, reaching depths inside of her that she didn't think possible. Her arms around his shoulders and her body pinned against the wall, he leaned his forehead into her hers, breathing heavily. He pulled back staring at her, smiling diabolically as she wilted beneath him.

"Sherlock-," She gasped, trying to form the words, but unable to as he pumped inside of her.

"Shhhh." He shushed her and smiled. Kairi closed her eyes, feeling her body shake against him, the walls of her vagina gripping his length perfectly and holding strong as he continued his assault. She let out a short yell as her orgasm crashed around her, his hips slowing as each pulse of her muscles pulled him deeper. He leaned forward and pressed his mouth to hers, capturing her lips in a passioned kiss.

She sighed heavily, tears streaming down her cheeks as she tried to gasp in fresh air between kisses. A deep rumble shook her chest as Sherlock chuckled against her, "Did you enjoy that?"

Kairi, eyes closed, trying to regain conscious thought, only nodded as Sherlock held her in place against the wall, his body still hard and desiring inside of her.

"Good." He drawled and stood up, adjusting to Kairi's weight in his arms, as he turned them and lead them to the bed. He laid her down, some how maintaining himself inside of her and watched her features as he pulled out of her slowly, her gasping for breath at the sensation of him leaving her empty. "Because I am not  _nearly_  finished." He growled at her and stood.

Sherlock reached for Kairi's tank top, removing it from her body with slight force as she laid on the bed, most of her motor functions coming back now.

He stood and removed his purple shirt with a yank, not giving a damn about buttons flying every which direction. He dropped his pants fully, stepping out of them and looked at Kairi with a sinister tilt to his mouth. Kairi was almost shaking again just from the look in his eye.

He leaned to his bedside table and retrieved a condom, slipping it on quickly. He climbed ontop of Kairi and wrapped an arm around her midsection, pulling her up against him as he hovered above the bed, on hand planet firmly beneath her.

Kairi reached down to guide him in but he stopped her with a harsh kiss against her lips that left her gasping. He kissed her neck and bit down on the skin there, relishing in her whine against his ear. He pressed his lips against her ear gently and whispered, with his deep voice, thick as tar and sounding like sin, "With your permission," He growled and Kairi felt her insides tense, "I'd very much like to experience you in a different position."

Kairi could only nod.

Sherlock chuckled his appreciation and he turned Kairi around, placing her on her hands and knees, her legs widened so he could kneel between them. He positioned himself behind her and pressed himself slowly into her as she let out a gasping moan. Sherlock smiled as he moved inside of her for a few thrusts.

He leaned forward, gently kissing the middle of her back and she arched her back away his kisses, her spine bending gracefully to alter the tilt of her hips, changing the depth and the angle of his thrusts that resulted in a deep groan forming in his chest. He wrapped an arm around her waist, sitting himself on his calves as he pulled her with him, moving so her body was pressed up against his. Her back was to his front and she was sitting on his lap, her legs bent on either side of his, facing away as he lifted his hips to thrust into her. His hands were free to roam the expanse of her chest and stomach, reaching down to gently rub her exposed clitoris.

Kairi reached her arms up, using his neck as an anchor as they moved together, in a hurried, grinding fashion, heaving deep breaths as their passions combined and became almost unbearable.

As Sherlock thrust up inside of her, holding her tightly to him as one hand teased her clitoris and another squeezed her breast and fingers pinching and rolling a nipple between his fingertips. He groaned in pride as he heard her attempts at containing her yelps and whines as he kissed her neck and bit at her shoulders.

Her body began to shake again and he felt himself well up with contained passion. Kairi let out a frantic cry in the form of his name and with that he let his release consume him as he pressed his length deeper up inside of her, holding her in place as she came and he ground himself into her depths as far as he could possibly go, moving his hips against her in small, gentle motions, as her body unraveled around his.

After Kairi's lengthy fall, she almost crumpled against him in exhaustion and he held her closely, supporting her as he lifted her chin so he could capture her mouth in a kiss. She moaned gently against his lips, feeling his erection still pumping from his orgasm, twitching inside of her with each pulse of her vaginal walls. He groaned against the sensation, tilting his hips ever so gently, causing Kairi to gasp against his mouth and he smiled against her.

It took them a minute, to disengage completely, and finally get back to lying down on the bed.

Kairi was a puddle of contentment, sprawled across his bed in all of her naked glory. Sherlock felt that euphoria rumble within his chest and roll down his limbs as he chuckled at her.

She didn't look at him, but raised a singular, vulgar finger.

"That can be arranged." He growled and she lifted her head and to stare at him in a pitiful manner.

He climbed into bed with her, shifting her limp body so she could lay against him and he could wrap his arms around her. Once her head was lying on his chest he pressed a kiss to her forehead and she hummed against him.

"Are you planning on sleeping again?" He grumbled into her hair.

She sleepily nodded and hummed an affirmative sound.

"Its mid morning now, we should be starting our day." He added and couldn't help the playful smile on his lips and she groaned angrily. "Very well, I supposed I could let you recover."

Kairi hummed something positive sounding and he chuckled.

"Sleep well then." He added.

"Hmmhmmmm. You too." She muttered, "I love you." She grumbled, already half asleep.

Sherlock held onto her, his breath hitching in response. Hearing those words had shocked him, but he did not alter his position, nor did he reply. He took a deep breath, closing his eyes for the moment to think, the tiniest sliver of elation rising within his chest, tainted by a spark of dread.

* * *

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _**A/N** _
> 
> _**Dear Lord baby jesus on fire...** _
> 
> **_That was a REALLY fun chapter to write... Not only that but it was fricken HARD to write...I'd get going, things would be flowin' and then I'd get distracted by my own goddamned characters and lose focus and go all willowy... Good gracious..._ **
> 
> **_Obviously there was important information in that chapter (you mean other than the sex scene? Why yes, other stuff actually happened that even *I* forgot about) and it will be revisited._ **
> 
> **_Oh man, I'm still flustered...Leave me comments, let me know what you don't like, do like, any errors you encounter..._ **
> 
> **_By the way, if you've seen it, HOW AMAZING WAS THE EMPTY HEARSE?! JUST REALLY!? I'M MEAN - *VIOLENTLY SWOONS*_ **
> 
> **_Reviews, comments, and the like are appreciated :D Dont know when the next chapter will be, but since I'm sick, hopefully my brain is working well enough to keep writing while I'm down - yes, I wrote this chapter sick, so if its good, I need to know, otherwise I will rest and fester and probably die while watching the Empty Hearse as many times as humanly possible and then you'll never get the ending to this story... :D Happy new year!_ **


	27. -27-

Kairi was sitting in with Dr. Sherman at the moment and Sherlock was buzzing with boredom. John and Sherlock had just finished a case the day before and Sherlock felt like his insides were clawing at his skin to escape the mundane nothingness inside of his mind. He had an idea for an experiment, observing the effect of heat and/or open flame on scalp tissue, but he had half a mind to realize just how upset Mrs. Hudson would be if he began burning human flesh in the flat. He frowned slightly, wondering if an analogue, such as pig skin would render exact, or at least comparable results. With a huff he stood from his current position, lying down on the couch like a damsel in a chaise lounge in the heat of an appalachian summer. He smiled a little wickedly, glancing at his blogger who was busy typing up the previous case. Sherlock tried to walk past him in a hurry.

"Mmmm, what is it you're doing?" John mumbled, focused intently on his screen.

Sherlock rolled his eyes, "It would behoove you to learn to type properly if you wish to remain a  _professional blogger._ " The words were laced with disdain, how some people would probably say serial killer or axe murderer. Of course, in comparison, Sherlock said those worlds like most people would say puppies, kittens and unicorns.

"Piss off." John growled and Sherlock continued to walk away, hoping his blogger remained distracted. John cleared his throat and Sherlock could hear the sound of him adjusting in his chair, "No seriously, what are you planning?"

Sherlock tried to remain aloof, "Planning? Nothing at all." Sherlock busied himself, flipping his fingers through the pages of a book that was lying close enough to grab.

John rolled his eyes, "Don't lie to me you git, you're practically vibrating with excitement. You didn't get a text, no new cases on the blog, and you're smiling. That means you're up to something."

Sherlock looked at himself in the mirror. Damn, he had the slightest grin on his face. He replaced it with his usual stoic slab and looked back at John, "Better?" He tried to sound haughty.

John laughed a little, "No, your eyes are twinkling. Like a damn fairy."

Sherlock actually frowned this time and looked at himself in the mirror again, seeing no flash or illumination coming from his eye, "John, I do not see what it is your referencing. I assume if my eyes had some sort of supernatural illumination, you'd be under the impression I was possessed."

"You idiot." John grumbled exhaustedly. "You're up to something. Think of a new experiment?"

Sherlock tried not to keep his eyes from shifting, he hated when John would read him so easily. It was unfortunate that John was so adept at reading body language and social cues. Sherlock was sure he rarely exhibited normal societal cues, but John had been quick to learn the affronting detective's behaviors. "No." He had hesitated too long.

John just smiled, exasperated, "You're not doing another bloody experiment here."

Sherlock's frown deepened, "I believe this is also my flat. I have a right to do what I please."

John chuckled, "Not if you're going to desiccating human flesh or some god awful thing."

Sherlock paused, "It doesn't have to be human flesh."

John put a hand to his forehead, looking disgusted, "I don't want animal flesh in here either!"

Sherlock scowled at him, "John, we eat animal flesh constantly. I believe your sandwich there has turkey flesh as well as some pork flesh. How is it any different if I use such flesh for my experiments?"

"Do you plan on eating it after?" John smiled.

Sherlock scowled and looked disgusted, thinking about cannibalizing a freshly cooked human scalp, "Absolutely not."

John shook his head and turned back to his computer, "That's the difference Sherlock. If you wouldn't want to eat it, it really shouldn't be in the kitchen."

Sherlock huffed and then sat in his chair just a few feet away from his blogger, "I'm bored."

"You should learn to knit." John chuckled to himself as he continued to write.

"You'd prefer to be around me holding long, pointy needles capable of many gruesome crimes? You should hear about this one case I did, prior to meeting you, of course. An older couple just had a horrendous fight, the husband was cheating on his infirm wife, so she took one of her old-fashioned, aluminium ten inch straights, pulled down her husband's pants while he was sleeping and delicately, but with great force, inserted it into -,"

"Alright!" John shouted, his body practically wracked with shaking nerves as he thought about Sherlock finishing that sentence. "Jesus, what is wrong with you?"

Sherlock flapped himself in his chair, extending his legs out completely, his arms flailing over the sides of his chair and sighing heavily, his head leaning dramatically on the back, "I'm  _bored_. God, waiting is so tedious! How do you do it all? The constant halts of emptiness in everyday life! My mind already feels as if  it's festering." Sherlock huffed and John ignored him, trying to get images of knitting needles out of his mind. "Quick John, whats 4,783 multipled by 2,356?"

John froze, "Uhhhh, what?"

Sherlock rolled his eyes, "Its 11,268,748." He let out a sigh, "GOD!"

John slammed his laptop shut in frustration, "Sherlock why don't you go out for a walk? Take a shower? For god's sake have a wank!"

Sherlock and John stared at each other in stunned silence for a few minutes and then dissolved into an uncomfortable laughter.

"I'm still in my night-clothes." Sherlock admitted, his sour disposition returning quickly as he slumped back into his chair.

John's shoulders dropped, "Then go get clothes on. We can go for a walk. You can deduce random people."

Sherlock frowned, "Kairi told you?"

John shrugged, "We all knew you did it silently. She just said it was hilarious to listen to you do it on the fly."

Sherlock scowled a little at that, "Usually I try to deceive her. She finds the most ridiculous things amusing."

John laughed, "Well she's dating you isn't she?"

Sherlock sat up and turned to look at his blogger, "What do you mean by that?"

John sighed, "Whatever it is you're doing, dating, a relationship -,"

"We have no certain terms for what we are doing." Sherlock began to catalogue the very unimpressive amount of information he knew about interpersonal relationships, "Although companionship and intercourse does seem to fall into the realm of what most common people consider a  _relationship_." The word tasted foul on his tongue.

John laughed, "Oh I  _really_  didn't need to know that."

Sherlock looked at him oddly, "Isn't that what male friends do, John? Discuss their conquests?" Sherlock looked John up and down, "I'd ask if you and Molly have had sexual encounters but its obvious."

John closed his eyes in frustration and disgust, "Seriously Sherlock, lets not be those types of blokes, alright?"

Sherlock adjusted himself to slouch against his chair in what looked like emotional anguish, "Fine by me." He smirked.

John shook his head and turned back to his computer, reopening it and trying to focus on work, not sure how to process the information that Kairi and Sherlock were now sexually active. He wanted to laugh, but the sick idea also terrified him. Sherlock wasn't just a Ken doll. He'd assumed not, since his interaction with Irene Adler that had been some sort of unhealthy combination of attraction, competition, and loathing. Sherlock was human and he was very much a man.

He remembered Sherlock's abrupt return to his life after The Fall. It wasn't a very fun experience, with John's residual anger at the detective and what seemed like an even more unstable Sherlock. They fought constantly within the first few months of his return, Sherlock was rather demanding, wanting everything to be just the way it was before he had falsely died; John, unsure of how much he could trust his friend. John found Sherlock harder to be around, spending so much time hurting deeply from the loss of his very best friend. He didn't know what Sherlock had gone through after he faked his death, only that he had been out scouring the globe, trying to ensure the dissolution of Moriarty's web of crime. It must have been difficult, but he never asked about it. They never could discuss those type of things.

John was shaken from his flashback, an ache in his chest he couldn't really make disappear, by a notification popping up on his blog. He had a new comment on their most recent case before yesterday. He clicked on the link and it opened to a new window, one from YouTube. The video took a few seconds to load and John was already bored by the time the video actually buffered.

The screen was rather dark and he couldn't make out a lot of what was going on. He almost closed it off until he noticed something was moving in the darkness. It caught his attention and he maximized the video, lowering the volume just in case it was one of those stupid prank ones that tried to scare the tits off of people.

What he saw next was worse than the shock of a gaunt and bloody, screaming face.

Sherlock barely responded to the sound of John standing hastily, knocking his chair back behind him.

"Oh dear God." He heard John mumble, his voice catching in his throat with some emotion.

Sherlock turned, glancing at his blogger who backed further and further away from his computer screen, a horrified hand grasping his mouth, as if to hold in the bile and the screams that threatened to escape.

"What is it?" Sherlock asked, intrigued, standing and glancing at the computer screen, but he was distracted by John's fraught behavior.

"It's a goddamn snuff film Sherlock, Jesus." John muttered a bit frantically.

Sherlock didn't look at the screen fully yet, looking at John who seemed truly terrified, "A what?"

John put a hand over his rapidly beating heart, gripping his jumper, "Dear God, it scared the piss out of me. Someone posted a damn fake snuff film on our page." He looked at Sherlock who looked confused, "It's a fake video of someone murdering someone." He took a deep breath, letting out an anxious chuckle, "Scared me half to death, that prick. Did you do it?"

Sherlock shook his head, looking at John oddly, "Why would I send you a video of me murdering someone? That would be an illogical thing to do if I wanted to get away with it."

John shook his head, "Well shit Sherlock, its fake, you wouldn't actually send someone a video of your murder. Jesus, I wasn't prepared for that." He clicked off the still playing video and then shut his computer. "Damn I feel like I need a drink after that scare."

"That wouldn't be wise with your heart rate John. The alcohol would -,"

"Yes, I know you git, I'm the doctor." He growled at Sherlock. John started to try and clean up his desk that was littered with random papers and studies Sherlock had been looking at recently, "God Sherlock, we need a housekeeper. You're worse of a mess nowadays."

Sherlock sat back down, scowling at those words, "We have a housekeeper."

John chuckled with a grip of papers in his hand, "God, don't let Mrs. Hudson hear that. She'd murder you and tape it just to keep me in line."

Sherlock let a grin stretch his lips. He opened his mouth, thinking of suggesting that he and John go and get food. He had barely eaten in the last twenty-four hours even though the case was over, but he realized John already finished up his sandwich. He glanced at the clock in the kitchen and he was hoping Kairi would be done with her session soon so maybe she could make him some food. He begrudgingly decided he would be patient and wait for her.

He leaned back in his chair, deciding to do some tidying in his mind palace as John flitted about 221B, cleaning up tiny messes here and there left in the brilliant detective's wake. Sherlock leaned back in his chair, his body taking on a sort of relaxed vigilance as he tuned out the rest of the world and entered into the domain of his thoughts.

Information about his most recent case needed to be squared away, stripped of any irrelevant facts that wouldn't be useful in court, and organized meticulously for access at a later date. After that was done he began sorting through some of his most recent acquired knowledge. Kairi had tried to teach him how to scramble eggs, which had resulted in disaster, so he disposed of it, thinking that he could always wait until she reached the point where she practically force-fed him her delectable food. He had read a very interesting study on  _Araneus  diadematus_, the common garden cross spider, that tailors a web capable of efficiently conducting electricity because of silk droplets weaved into the pattern that hold a special chemical concoction. Delightful study, interesting, however it probably would not be relevant in cases that cropped up. He sorted through some of the older information inside of his mind palace, strictly ignoring the dark and dank cellar that he had purposefully chained shut, and tried to find some piece of information that could possibly use replacing. He sighed deeply, the stimulation of his mind being rather relaxing as he went through each corridor, ensuring the information was still relevant, updated with any new facts that cropped up in his years of meticulous study.

He was only disturbed by his phone ringing.

He opened up his palm, holding it out expectantly.

He tried not to smile at John's let out an expertly exasperated sigh and then he felt the familiar weight of his phone in hand.

He sat up, putting the phone to his ear to answer, "Sherlock Holmes."

"Its Lestrade."

Sherlock tried to contain his smile, "What do you have for me?" His voice was laced with pleasure at the idea of a new case.

"We've got a body and we could use your help." Lestrade intoned.

"And why would it interest me?" Sherlock asked testily, but secretly he was chomping at the bit.

"Well for one, its in an abandoned building, 138 Park Lane." Lestrade added.

"Ah, the abandoned Park Lane mansion." He smiled, "How is this special? Some bum get slashed to bits?"

Lestrade cleared his throat uncomfortably, "No you git," He spat with virulence which surprised Sherlock, "It's a retired officer and he's basically been gutted."

Sherlock tried to refrain from his usual glee. John and Kairi had both been working with him to lessen his chances of being struck, "Interesting. We will be on our way." He hung up the phone and stood sharply, glancing to John with a mischievous smile on his face, "We've got another case."

John rolled his eyes as he walked out of the kitchen, "What's it this time?"

Sherlock strode past John to make his way into his room to change, "Murder of a retired police officer." He shouted over his shoulder and began to dress.

John sighed, "Oh Jesus..." He sat down hard in his chair and waited for Sherlock to emerge from his room, dressed perfectly and looking fierce, a strict delighted determination in his eye. "Sherlock, I must stress this -,"

"I know, try not to look so happy." He flitted his hands at John as he walked from the flat, John scrambling to keep up.

"It's not just that Sherlock," He growled as they exited 221 Baker Street, he noticed Sherlock's eyes flash to Kairi's door as they passed, "Sherlock this is important I need you to pay attention. Please."

Sherlock stopped as they reached the exit of their building and he turned to look at John because of the word  _please_. It seemed almost frantic in its presentation. "Yes?"

John sighed, "It's not just looking happy Sherlock. This is a retired officer. Scotland Yard is extremely protective of its own, you've seen how vigilant Lestrade has been over Kairi, imagine if she were still with them! They care a lot for their own and if you have even the tiniest desire to ever work with the police, ever again, I suggest you take great care in how you act around them. They will all be angry and on edge."

Sherlock took a moment to process this and nodded to John, turning quickly and exiting Baker Street. He decidedly kept the smile off of his face as he hailed a cab.

* * *

Lestrade stood over the body, time of death was determined as approximately eight to ten hours before they discovered the body. He had seen a lot in his day, but the extent of damage done to the body lying before him was something that shook him to his core.

He had not known Daniel Barnes, the late-aged retired detective whose body was now at his feet, but he'd vaguely heard of him as he'd been a generally respected officer when Lestrade first started at The Yard many years ago. It didn't seem fair that a man who had devoted his life to protecting the public could be put to such a gruesome end.

Lestrade kept the forensics team out, calling Sherlock upon discovering the identity and state of the victim. The body was sprawled out inside one of the many bedrooms of the derelict Georgian mansion. Lights were set up, illuminating the ghastly scene as Lestrade took it all in.

The body of Barnes was in the center of the expansive room, littered with remnants of a wealthier age. High quality, at one time maybe green patterned wall paper, probably dating back to the 1920s, was stripping itself from the walls. An expensive chandelier hung in one corner, lopsided and rid of most of its finer looking hanging crystals. The walls were decorated with what was now, run down wood artistry of the illustrious age. In any other instance it would be a very interesting and possibly beautiful place to behold, the ghost of another age breaking through to the present.

The body's clothing had mostly been removed, leaving the corpse in nothing but cut off trousers, the belt still hooked. The rest of his garments lay beneath the corpse's head, as if to supply comfort. He was lying on his back, arms and legs spread wide, pegged in place by what looked like railroad spikes driven through the wrists and ankles. There was blood pooling just about everywhere around the body, large gashes that dug an inch or two into the skin littered the corpse. His gut, opened, exposed, and almost emptied of most of his organs, scattered around the body, leaving the cavity to fester in the open air.

Lestrade had to choke back some emotion; disgust, fear, and probably a little shame. He wanted whoever did this caught as quickly as possible. The seething heat in his gut tugged at him, whispering ideas of this not being the last corpse he will encounter in twenty-four hours.

He turned slowly, hearing footsteps entering the room and heard a small gasp leave the lips of his consulting detective's partner. He glanced at Sherlock, who almost had the grace to look shocked as he took in the scene, his eyes ticking with every useful bit of information. John's eyes were wide open, fear flickering behind the soldier's eyes. Lestrade knew the man had seen some gruesome deaths in his time in Afghanistan, but moments like these, secreted away within the heart of your home always seem to hit you a little harder.

"Boys." Lestrade nodded.

Sherlock nodded and began to remove his jacket and scarf, "John, please take these into the other room and leave them there. I'll need gloves and evidence bags as well." His eyes ticked over the scenes for a brief second, "Shoe covers would also do." John was silent for a moment and Sherlock turned to hand John his items and John seemed to shake himself awake from whatever thoughts he was reliving.

"Right." John nodded, clearing his throat and disappearing into the next room where he collected all the required items.

Sherlock and John went to investigate the corpse, Sherlock using his magnifying glass to inspect every inch, every cut, every blood droplet that he came across. He was gathering information, tucking it away into his mind palace to process expertly. This case was just like any other, he would not let the sentimentality of Scotland Yard disturb that. John seemed hesitant to get too close, probably reminding him of some part of the war. Sherlock ignored him and continued.

"Anything?" Lestrade grumbled, a bit angrily after a few minutes.

"Would you like a play by play -," Sherlock replied a little too vehemently and John cleared his throat at him, signifying his need for tact. Sherlock tried not to roll his eyes and he glanced back at Lestrade, impersonating someone who sounded cordial and added quickly, " -Detective Inspector?"

Lestrade sighed, "Yeah if you wouldn't mind."

Sherlock nodded and stood, walking back over to Lestrade carefully, as not to disturb the blood spatter, "Well this was obviously a meticulously planned and executed crime." Sherlock tried to keep the excitement from his voice and features, but he was failing slightly, "All of these cuts were created with precise deliberation of an expert hand with a very fine instrument, probably a scalpel. The nature of the crime indicates a passionate emotion, most likely hatred because of the obvious savagery. The killer, most likely young, well-trained in a medical type field, very well-educated, calculated, probably brilliant and shunned by his peers."

"So it could be you?" A nasally voice said from the doorway.

Sherlock turned, scowling, "Remove yourself Anderson, your abnormally high amount of fatuity is making the corpse putrefy at more rapid speeds."

"Anderson, get out." Lestrade growled and Anderson huffed as he ducked back into the outside room.

Sherlock took a deep breath, readjusting himself and placing his focus back on the scene. He turned slightly, letting his eyes flick over the entire scene with a much broader perspective.

"There will be no need to investigate the rest of the home. Its far too large and I doubt out killer left any important evidence. This was his  _special_  room. The others would be ignored, except to make sure it was clear of people."

He stared at the spikes impaling the victim's extremities and took a brief second, analyzing the angles in the flesh, the disturbance of the floor below, and calculating the approximate force required for each instance.

"Your murderer impaled his victim in a very mocking way, akin to the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. This shows his distaste for law enforcement, or at least this particular officer. He wanted to torture his victim but had no illusion of letting him live. The tongue has been cut, most likely to keep the victim quiet, while also causing the victim to panic as he inhaled his own blood. Judging by the angle of the spikes and the chipping in the floor cause by their impact, your killer would probably be around 5'9", absolutely at most 5'11". I assume male because most of his type are. He is well-built, as it only took one, maybe two on the ankles, to drive the spikes into his victim's limbs. Every spike, every cut, even the removal of the organs was deliberate, practiced, and steady. He didn't disturb any major arteries while inserting the pegs to hold his victim down," Sherlock took a breath to calm his elation, hearing John mutter something as his eyes took in more, "He intended to keep your victim alive for some time while he practiced his machinations - judging by the wounds and the assumed time of death about 9 hours ago, I would say he suffered for one and half or two hours before perishing. Your killer had no hesitance, no fear." Sherlock intoned, trying not to sound delighted, he looked up at Lestrade who gulped with fear behind his eyes, "You're dealing with a very adept psychopath."

"Shit." Lestrade grumbled, "All right, are you finished?"

Sherlock's lip twitched slightly, "Not nearly." He turned to shout at John to take some pictures, but his doctor was standing stiffly, eyes wide open, breathing elevated as he stared down at the corpse. "John?"

John shook his head slightly, taking careful steps back as he removed himself from the corpse as he yanked off his gloves and put them in his pocket. He grabbed Sherlock's arm and pulled him into one of the cleaner corners of the room.

"What is it?" Sherlock was annoyed as he removed his gloves, "Are you experiencing some sort of post traumatic stress incident?"

John glared at him, "Shut up," He growled and glanced back at the corpse, "Sherlock, I think -," He swallowed back the panic, "- I think that the victim is the one from the video."

Sherlock frowned, "What video? What are you talki-," Sherlock paused, illumination spreading through his mind, "Oh." He looked down at John who seemed nervous, "How can you be sure?"

John shook his head, "I can't really. It was pretty dark and I didn't watch all of it. It seemed ridiculous, I didn't pay attention." He took a shuddering breath, "I don't want to tell Lestrade until you've seen it, until you can tell me I didn't watch this bastard kill a police officer." His voice wavered with guilt.

Sherlock placed a hand on John's shoulder in an attempt to reassure him and it seemed to shock John out of his panic as he looked up at Sherlock who nodded at him in a facsimile of support. John nodded back, "You get everything you need?"

Sherlock nodded and turned sharply to Lestrade, walking past him to exit, "I'll need crime scene photos as soon as possible, also be sure that your technicians take appropriate samples off of all of the spikes driven through the limbs. I'd also like all of the organs to be taken directly to Molly so I may study them further."

"We do that anyway!" Anderson sounded affronted.

Sherlock glared at him and it shut him up, "Do not forget to take blood samples from the two crescent-shaped blood puddles on the left side of our victim, I believe that's where our killer knelt while disembowling the unfortunate officer. I'd like to analyze the samples in Molly's lab." He walked over to Anderson, glaring into his eyes with utmost virulence, "If you prefer to have this killer caught," He began with deep disdain bathing his tone, "I advise you not to muck it up." He growled and turned sharply, John following as they left the murder scene and returned to Baker Street to watch the intended cut of the murder.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N
> 
> Thank you all for reading!
> 
> I hope you enjoyed this chapter, its supplying a bit of respite from the drama of Kairi's case which has been quiet the past few weeks... As if murder is a respite!!
> 
> So I have an idea. I'd like your input! I was thinking of starting some one-shot type stories with Kairi and Sherlock to compliment this story as much time has passed since Kairi and Sherlock's first interaction. These can either be included as chapters within this story or can be separated into a new story on my profile (I'd probably do this idea just to keep continuity going in this story). What I need or want from you is input on scenes you'd like to see: picnic in the park? the barbecue with Kairi's family? Kairi trying to teach Sherlock to cook? This is a very old reference, but reintroducing "Monk" into the story as either a fictional or real character (up to you!)? More sexy times? lol!
> 
> I'd like to hear your opinions, ideas, etc. So please leave comments or PM me. I think I'd be happy to do this sort of present for all of my favorite/followers/commenters over the past few months who have been SOOO good to me!! Let me know if you're interested - I'll be sure to take into account both places I post this story :D
> 
> Who the eff is excited for Sherlock tomorrow? I might puke in gleeful anticipation!!!
> 
> Much love my Holmesies


	28. -28-

Kairi had a fruitful session with Dr. Sherman, her kind-hearted psychologist. Over the past week they were working diligently to desensitize Kairi to the painful memories she now had. It was nice to talk about things and not have to stress about what the other person thought of you or of what happened to you.

When Kairi would look at Molly she would see a very careful sense of pity - it was hard not to pity someone who went through what Kairi had. Molly cared for Kairi deeply, as Kairi cared for Molly, and it hurt Molly to see her so hurt. It also just hurt Kairi to have people see her hurt. Kairi was still very close to the pathologist and they were back to speaking more frequently, as well as her official boyfriend, John Watson. His eyes held something different, she saw a very similar look in her own when she could stomach looking in the mirror. John Watson was a practical poster boy for PTSD, though the look in his eye had faded over the years. He was able to deal with his issues by employing himself as Sherlock's partner, giving himself worth and value through saving the world from one psychopath at a time. Lestrade's eyes were wary, like a cop's eyes should be, but she saw the desperate pain in them when he'd see her sad. Sherlock of course was the hardest one to be around. He was very good at disposing of emotions, but she would see the anger spark behind his irises, every so often, causing the colors of his eyes to shift as they were wont to do.

Dr. Sherman had encouraged her to not be alone, to strengthen the relationships she had and allowing people to feel for her. He had admitted the best way to discourage people from being sad for you was dealing with your issues and learning to live a happy and fruitful life. Once they saw that you were working to move on with your life, they would do the same.

Kairi sat in her tub, surrounded by bubbles and deliciously hot water, her arm leaning over the edge and rubbing the soft fur of Appa's head as he laid by the tub. She had just immersed herself, relaxing, detoxing after her session. Working with Sherman left her mind at ease and her body buzzing peacefully, as if purged from the most recent disturbing thoughts. She knew they didn't disappear, but discussing how she felt about what she had been through, what she was going through, and refocusing her attention to some of the more positive aspects of her life, like friends and family, was helping her in astounding ways. She still had bad days of course, but her depression and anxiety decreased since she wasn't constantly holding down the abject terror of her life. She could face the emotions she felt and she wasn't alone.

It felt nice not to be alone.

She heard the door to her bedroom crash open and she sighed, realizing perhaps this moment it actually felt  _quite nice_  to not be bothered. She sunk a little deeper into the tub, glaring at her door frame until it was filled. She had to remind herself that by  _whatevering_  with Sherlock Holmes and working with his brother did not leave her a lot of privacy. She usually left her bathroom door open so Appa could go in and out freely. It seemed that only closing and locking her front door was no longer enough to insinuate she required seclusion.

"This is not of a sexual nature." Sherlock spat as he entered her bathroom, followed hopelessly by John Watson, who squeaked at the sight of Kairi in her tub and automatically turned around and exited.

"Sherlock!" John growled from on the other side of the wall, "She's bathing. Can't you wait?"

Sherlock frowned, "What does her bathing have to do with it? We need her expertise." His eyes strayed for a moment, examining the slick limbs of Kairi in the tub and feeling a newly familiar roll in his stomach. His eyes finally met Kairi's face which automatically quashed his previous notions. "Well it  _can_  be of sexual nature if you prefer." He sort of shrugged, Kairi refusing to speak, deepened her scowl.

"A bit not good you ponce." John growled from the doorway.

Kairi sighed, leaning back against the tub with closing eyes, "John it's not as if you haven't already seen me naked, however, I appreciate your more understanding nature of me trying to relax and have a bath."

"We nee-," Sherlock began but paused and Kairi could hear him shift to look at John, "When did you see Kairi nude?"

John cleared his throat with utmost discomfort, shifting on his feet, "Well, back when she stayed with us, I had to fish her out of the shower."

Kairi chuckled, "I was having a fit, Sherlock." She opened her eyes and glanced at Sherlock who looked displeased, "I never thanked you for that John, so thanks."

"Should I have an opinion on knowing my best friend has seen my -," Sherlock paused and Kairi looked up at him, not exactly expectant, but definitely curious, "-  _computer expert_  naked?"

John grunted, seeming chuffed at being called Sherlock's best friend.

Kairi let out a coy smile and relaxed against the tub again, "Molly has too."

Sherlock's frown deepened, "Lestrade?"

Kairi wanted to tease him but she refrained, mostly, "No, not Lestrade." She sighed, "Not yet at least."

"Good, this case -," Sherlock began and paused again, Kairi bit her lip to keep from squealing with joy, he caught it, "What do you mean,  _not yet_?" Kairi looked up at him with playful eyes, chuckling at him unabashedly and Sherlock rolled his eyes, "Oh, you're  _teasing_  me," He spat with displeasure. He then walked over to her toilet, closed the lid and sat down. "We've a case I think you'll be able to assist with."

Kairi sighed, watching him, "Seriously? It needs to be done right now?"

"Sherlock, let her finish her bath for christ sakes. Let's take it to Lestrade as planned. He'll have someone take a look at it." John muttered from behind the wall again.

"Scotland Yard is full of inexperienced idiots. I need a professional." Sherlock spat, adjusting himself to sit more comfortably on the toilet.

"Jesus Christ," Kairi sighed, "John go ahead back up to your flat so you don't die of embarrassment. Sherlock can fill me in down here despite my attempts to relax." Sherlock seemed pleased for a second.

"Unless you're planning on stealing another peek?" Sherlock added a bit darkly and Kairi rolled her eyes.

"Oh that's rich, considering how many times you've walked in on me trying to - sod it." He growled from behind the doorway and then stuck his hand out to wave at Kairi, "I'll talk to you later Kairi. Nice arse by the way."

Kairi let out a howl of laughter at Sherlock's appalled stare as John Watson left Kairi's flat in a huff. She was still laughing when Sherlock stood and began to glare down at her from next to the tub, "Oh stop it. It was very doctorly when John rescued me from the shower. He's seen plenty of people naked as a doctor and as a man. I'm sure he has no possible care for seeing me naked."

"I dislike it." Sherlock spat.

Kairi rolled her eyes, "Not that I have an overwhelming desire to do so, but I can show my lady bits to whomever I please."

Sherlock, seemed to tilt his head slightly, trying to peek past the bubbles, "Can you now?"

She flicked some water at his pants and he hissed at her, "These were newly pressed." Kairi smiled at him wide in a childish way. "Well, shall I join you or do you prefer me to sit on the toilet and talk at you."

Kairi weighed this decision in her mind. It might feel nice to have Sherlock curled around her in the tub, his voice rumbling in her ear about brilliance and murder as she relaxed against him. It was like reading a murder mystery novel on ecstasy with a glass of wine. However he was acting a bit rude and she sort of wanted to torture him, but she decided she could still probably do that with him in the tub. Plus it had the extra benefit of him in the tub.

"Alright then, hop in." She rolled her eyes and sat up, watching Sherlock undress with an impish grin on his face, "Oh damn you! This was your plan all along!"

"I don't understand what you're implying." He rose an eyebrow and grinned at her in the childish manner she'd done earlier.

She scowled and sat up and he climbed in behind her, pulling her back against him as they settled in the water. Kairi nuzzled into him, feeling his body slick against hers, and sighed. "Right you prick, tell me about the case."

"No need for crass language my dear - Ow!" Sherlock grimaced as Kairi pinched his tricep, "That is horrendously painful."

"That's the point." Kairi sighed and sunk into him, "Now tell me about your case, but make your voice go all low and gravely, this is supposed to be my private time and you're infringing."

Sherlock stared down curiously at Kairi's head, "Why do you wish me to speak in a deeper voice?"

Kairi chuckled, "Like when you are angry and incredibly serious, or sometimes when you're saying things in my ear when you-," Kairi paused, realizing how warm she was getting.

"Do continue." Sherlock rumbled and she could hear it vibrate in his chest and it caused her to shiver.

Kairi chuckled, "Yeah,  _like that._  Tell me about your case like that."

Sherlock chuckled and it rumbled again, reaching deeper into Kairi because of the general sinister sound of it, "You would like me to tell you about my murder case in a sensual, angry, serious tone?" Kairi looked up at him, not knowing what to expect when she took in his features. He was smiling at her oddly, "You are quite strange."

Kairi smiled and kissed his chest gently, "Yes I know, but you were the one who interrupted me during my private times. I may have had plans for this bath, you know." She leaned back again, shifting lower so they were both almost fully immersed. "Proceed."

Sherlock grinned, leaning the side of his face against her head and began to talk about the case. Kairi just sat and listened to him speak, taking in some of his words, but mostly letting the sound of his voice wash over her. She let her hands rest on top of his naked thighs, her fingertips swirling absently, making patterns along his skin. Her eyes were closed and focused on his breathing between words, the deep resonation of his voice, and it glided over her, talking about brutal and dark things. She didn't care. He could talk about dog biscuits and she'd have a hard time not fawning over that voice. His arms were beneath hers, his hands resting on her stomach and tracing delicate circles along the skin and dragging out further to dig very gently into her hips bones. She found it horribly erotic and she should probably feel bad about how turned on she was, but she wouldn't. This was Sherlock Holmes - and judging by the poke in her back, he was enjoying himself as well, talking about dead bodies and fondling her.

"Are you listening to me at all?" Sherlock rumbled with heavy breaths into her ear.

Kairi shivered slightly, "Listening? Of course," She smiled, applying gentle pressure to the muscles on his thighs and she heard his sharp intake of breath, "Comprehending anything? Absolutely not."

Sherlock cleared his throat, his fingers gripping her hips tightly, almost sounding upset, "Well then," He seemed to growl into her ear and Kairi stiffened until she felt his hands move from her hips, to her lower abdomen, and trail down slowly to let his fingers whisper against her labia, "I don't see any point in continuing the conversation, if you aren't paying attention."

Kairi pressed herself back against him sighing, "I'm sure you have another plan in mind?"

Sherlock bent down to press his lips against the sweet skin of her neck, "Oh, several." He chuckled as Kairi moaned.

* * *

John was sitting at his computer, staring at the link to the video. He was horrified, just absolutely caught up in the fact that he had been a virtual witness to the murder of a retired policeman. He and Sherlock had already watched it together; John was shaking with anxiety the entire time and Sherlock was rapt with attention. Sherlock had verified that the video was in fact a film documenting the demise of the late detective, though it was cut together rather artfully in order to cut down the possible two hours it took to kill him.

The camera was positioned directly above the spread out body. You could see everything that happened in excruciating detail. The recording itself wasn't extremely high quality, but it didn't stop John from being able to know what was happening, to practically feel the cuts in the flesh and smell the blood. He had been sick twice throughout the whole process. This was a new level of depravity, even for Sherlock.

John couldn't watch the video again, but he was trying to reorganize his thoughts into helpful facts. He wasn't at all like Sherlock in that way, but it was the easiest thing to do to keep him from losing his mind. Upon watching the video, he was sure of a few things: the murderer was a man because of the size and shape of his hands; the murderer was also very familiar with the medical field and the human body; and the murderer's hands did not shake at any point during the film.

He sat there for god knows how long, staring at the screen, bouncing his leg slightly as he tried to clear his thoughts of the sickness and guilt he felt. Sherlock had told him the guilt he felt was irrational, that the man had been dead since sometime last night and the video only arrived minutes before Lestrade had called. There was no way John or he could have helped the victim.

That was one thing that was bothering John, the fact that someone sent the video, to him of all people. If wanting to get to Sherlock, why not post it on his blog? He checked it frequently. Why on Watson's blog? It obviously wasn't a warning, since it came far too late for anyone to do anything about it. Why send them a video which will undoubtedly help Sherlock catch him?

He turned, hearing the sound of the door opening and seeing Kairi finishing up a french braid in her wet hair. She was smiling, an impish twinkle in her eye until she looked at John. Her face fell, full of guilt. Sherlock's hair looked damp and his skin was flushed. He glared at John.

"Oh for fuck's sake - really?!" John almost roared, "I just watched someone get gutted on my blog. There's a man disembowling people out there and you two are taking baths and groping each other like high schoolers!"

Kairi looked devastated, "I'm so sorr-"

Sherlock bristled, "He's already dead John, the murderer may still be free but we need Kairi's help."

"Oh, for what? To get off?" John said scathingly until he looked at Kairi who was mortified. Her clear eyes brimming with tears, "Damnit." He hung his head and then wiped a hand down his face. "Kairi I -,"

John didn't get the rest of it out before Kairi ran at him and threw her arms around him, pulling him into a giant hug, almost crying, "I'm so sorry John. I didn't think about how much it must affect you." She pulled back and kissed him sharply on the cheek and hugged him tighter, "That was selfish and I'm so sorry. I'm able to brush off a lot of things and to be honest my brain is so full of horrible shit John, I cant even process what its like to feel happy anymore." She squeezed him tighter and he hugged her back.

"I'm sorry, I was out of line. This video thing has me feeling insane." He sighed, "I watched it Kairi, I watched him get murdered and I thought nothing of it."

Sherlock took a step closer to them, unsure how to treat this emotional display. He was used to seeing Kairi out of sorts, with everything she was going through, but watching John so physically and mentally shaken, disturbed him, "You were the one that remembered the video. I had immediately erased it. If not for you, we wouldn't have this lead. We would be no closer to finding the murderer John."

"Is this a lead?" John shook his head, "I don't see anything that will help us."

Sherlock smiled in his devilish way, "Ah, but I do."

Kairi and John were still hugging and Kairi reached over and yanked Sherlock by his shirt into the hug. He stood stiffly, even John a little unsure of what was happening, "You both do such amazing things. I don't think you get proper thanks for that."

"I don't like this." Sherlock said sharply.

"Oh, get over it." Kairi chuckled and John joined in. She let them go and patted them both on the shoulder. John smiled and nodded, still feeling sheepish. Sherlock just looked disgruntled and immediately walked to his desk. "Very well, what do you need from me?"

"I need you to find as much as you can about whoever posted this." Sherlock said quickly as Kairi leaned in to peek, "Its graphic."

"I should tell you, I once watched a video of a lion eating a baby gazelle alive and I only cried for three days." She smiled widely at Sherlock and John who stared at her rather confused.

"You are rather odd." Sherlock commented with an arched eyebrow.

Kairi shook herself of memories of the damn video and then turned to Sherlock, "I know." She glanced at John who was looking nervous, "John why don't you go get lunch with Molly? Once I dive into my computer thing, I wont be resurfacing and Sherlock will surely get bored and start experimenting or rewatching the video. You don't need to do that to yourself."

John shook his head, "No I'm fine. I'll be more help -,"

Sherlock glanced at John, "Kairi isn't insinuating that you are weak John, she's honestly concerned about you." He said with a hint of confusion, "I personally think you'll just be getting in the way if you stay-,"

"Sherlock!" Kairi hissed and hit him sharply on the arm. He flinched slightly, looking outrageously confused. "God damnit John, he'll be neck-deep in the video, I'll be swimming through code trying to put a trace on where this was uploaded from. Go see Molly, get some brightness back into your day."

"No, its fine." John laughed at Sherlock, "That knocked me out of it a bit." He cuffed Sherlock on the shoulder and they nodded to each other in a strange understanding, "But I will go see Molly. Thanks." He smiled at Kairi and pat her on the cheek in a loving fashion.

After John left and Kairi went downstairs to grab her super-duper-top-secret-Mycroft computer she came back into the room and saw Sherlock sitting on the couch, staring at the computer screen intently.

"So, should I watch it?" Kairi gulped heavily as she set her laptop on the desk.

Sherlock glanced at her, watching her intently, "You're afraid to?" His eyes flicked over her a little longer, "Oh no, you're afraid because you  _want_  to."

Kairi sighed, "Don't make it sound like that Sherlock, I don't know if  _want_  is the right word. Dark curiosity, maybe? I don't know. I just want to help if it's really bad enough to make John that distressed."

Sherlock stared back at the screen, "It probably reminded him of his duties in the war. He was in a country surrounded by a lot of people desperate to harm his troops and others. I know he's seen a lot of death, but its different to observe someone dying."

Kairi nodded, she could definitely understand that, "If you think it will help the case for me to watch it, then I will. Its scaring me, but I want to watch it if it will help."

Sherlock glanced back at Kairi, her hair pulled back in a braid that came over her shoulder. She looked young and small without her war paint on, as she called it. He was happy to see that she didn't need a mask around him any longer. She was still quite stunning without it. He looked back to his computer, focusing on the murder, trying to dispel notions of Kairi's attractiveness to him. He would need to keep this all compartmentalized to function properly. He cleared his throat, "Very well. Come and sit with me though. If you care to turn away or leave, I implore that you do so."

Kairi looked somber but she walked over to him and sat down next to him, apprehension brewing in her gut. She'd never seen someone be murdered before. She knew what things like this entailed and was trying not to think too much about how Sherlock was able to cope with so much death and darkness in his life. She glanced at him then, as he restarted the video, they were very different and they were very alike. It was a strange companionship that they had.

When the video started, Kairi stiffened but she made herself observe. She had some decent practical knowledge of science, especially biology and chemistry because of minor courses she took to prepare for basic forensics classes. It wasn't later until she went full steam ahead into computer science and development for web and software. Eventually, she delved deeper into computer forensics at the urging of her father. She still had decent enough knowledge of biology and even pathology because of the books that she read. Unfortunately, death had always been a large factor in her imaginative mind.

Watching the death of a human being was not something she took lightly. She cried in the entire time, gripping Sherlock's hand as she watched the man be tortured. She also felt for John, its one thing to see something sick and twisted, but then be able to reaffirm your humanity because it had been faked. The confirmation that it was real and the realization that you had brushed it off would have crushed her as well.

The video itself was brutal. She could barely describe the visceral and soul crushing pain she felt while watching it. She had to stop Sherlock from turning it off a few times. She was determined to watch it, to feel the pain. She had a personal stake in this case now, it wasn't just some random IP address she hoped to chase, it wasn't mystical bits of data that she had to materialize. To her, this was a living, breathing monster, like Moran, who took pleasure in destroying things that didn't deserve to be destroyed. She had to finish it, the victim didn't deserve to be alone in this horror.

When it finished, Sherlock shut the computer and Kairi curled herself into him, crying heavily and trying to calm her breathing.

"Why would you do that to yourself?" Sherlock looked down at the top of the girl's platinum head, practically dissolving in his arms. He ran a hand over her soft hair and she snuggled closer.

With a shuddering breath, Kairi replied, "I had to see it, to make it real, to make it serious. If both you and John saw it and Molly probably will have to see the results of it, if I'm going to help, it has to be real."

He narrowed his eyes down at her, tipping her face up towards his, "That is a very stupid notion. You viewing it doesn't make it any more real."

Kairi chuckled at him, "Remember Sherlock try not to call people stupid unless they really deserve it. I know everyone is stupid to you, but in the end, we still have reasons for doing what we do."

He nodded to her and she went back to nuzzling her head in his chest for comfort. He continued to breath deeply, his eyes closing and relaxing as he held Kairi close to him. He had to admit that she provided a desirable level of comfort that seemed to ease his mind. It didn't seem to be as disjointed as before. He remembered how calming John was for him, centering, to be truly honest. John had given him a foundation in order to refocus his skill and hone it. After disappearing, his mind had gone back to a more chaotic nature, almost animalistic in its exertion. Being away from John, being dumped into some of the darker depths of humanity while he had been away had given him a more brutal edge than he had felt in his years with John. There were some aspects that still remained, a caged sort of beast clawing at the walls, but when he held Kairi, he almost felt tame, or rather, in control.

It wasn't a completely terrifying feeling, the sentiment he held for Kairi; like John had helped him refocus his mental acuity before and after the fall, Kairi seemed to calm something else entirely. It wasn't just sexual, though he did enjoy that aspect of their relationship, the sleep he achieved after a raucous bout with her was incredibly peaceful, and it also felt rather nice, being with her. But almost mentally, inside of his mind palace, he felt a calm he never had before. If he believed in the absolutely childish nature of a soul, he would admit that he felt a bond to her in that manner. A kindred spirit, though he despised the term.

He refocused on the murder and began to go over it frame by frame in his mind. He was focusing so intently he hadn't noticed that Kairi had removed herself from him. When he opened his eyes, which could have been hours later he saw her at the desk, curled up into John's chair, her glasses up on her nose, her eyes screwed up in rapt attention, and typing away furiously at what he believed was probably one hundred words per minute. He never realized the fluidity of her fingers over the keyboard, it was rather impressive.

Kairi glanced over to him and then refocused on the screen, smiling slightly, her pink lips just barely hitching in the corner, "I've started digging into John's blog, beefing up web security, making things slightly more difficult for people to post. Dear Lord you have a lot of spam posts. This will help weed them out."

"How will that affect people's ability to use the website?" Sherlock asked, genuinely curious.

"It will essentially work the same. I'm implying some very basic add-ons to the blog, just to keep the creeps out, then delving a little deeper into the actual site code to give it a bit more backbone. Hopefully it wont crash as much either." She looked at Sherlock smiling widely now, "You guys really should have hired someone to help when all of this got started. Granted, it's not like you guys have a bunch of personal information in blog form, but your clients do!"

Sherlock looked her up and down quickly, "Isn't that why we have you?"

Kairi rolled her eyes and looked back to the screen, typing away, "Well,  _now_  you do, but it should have been done ages ago, when you first started getting case requests through the blog. I should have a look at yours too, make sure its secure."

"Very well, I'll give you the login infor-"

"No need." She smiled mischievously and glanced back at Sherlock who glared at her, "I told you, probably should have set this up ages ago." He stood up and went to stand behind her. He looked down at her shoulders, one was bare, smooth and soft, the other was covered by sweatshirt material that looked at though it had been cut. She had fashioned it to fit her so. He reached out and placed a gentle hand on her shoulder, she did not flinch, but her skin got warmer to his touch. He watched as she was inspecting some gibberish on the screen, she reached up a hand and patted his gently with her small fingers, turning her head just slightly to plant a kiss on his skin. He wasn't sure that she was even aware of what she was doing.

He understood that feeling and now he was a bit self-conscious about his behavior during his moments of intense focus. It never bothered him much before.

"What have you found out about the video?" Sherlock asked before his mind began to run away with itself.

She sighed, "Not much, whoever posted it tried to block the IP - by the way I saved it to your hard drive as a copy, which is technically illegal, but oh well. I mean, who is going to fine me for saving a documented murder in order to find the bastard?" She looked up at Sherlock who seemed disinterested, "Anyway, the guy, or rather, the network he used had a pretty darn good setup, using a high-anonymity proxy server that was browser configured. The system he was using also had a sort of computer based Tor application that added some extra routes for me to follow. Put his IP address in Egypt of all places. I mean, I guess he could have been in Egypt or had an accomplice in Egypt, but that seems a little excessive, even for him, I doubt he gets his kicks on a computer terminal."

"So nothing?" Sherlock looked down to Kairi and she looked back up at him flabbergasted.

"I didn't say that." Sher shook her head, giving him an annoyed stare and then went back to her typing.

He wondered if that was the look he gave other people when they were being vapid and unobserving. He would need to ask John.

"I said, he was able to hide his original IP. He's good," She glanced back up at him with an amused, smug smile as she pushed up her glasses, "Thing is, I'm better. Much better, but he's still rather clever." She hunched her shoulders over, getting closer to the computer screen, "Hmm, yeah he's clever, the original IP was traced to an Internet cafe not to far from the crime scene. An actual Internet cafe, one geared towards hardcore gamers and web enthusiasts like myself, but not on the proper side of the law - most days," She gulped nervously, "Not tourists looking to post on Facebook while they're on vacation. Problem is, he was able to create a program to put the blog post on delay, possibly a remote type of program that he could activate when he knew the body had been found. I'd need to see the computer first to make sure. You said the police had already been there a while before you showed up right? So there's one of two options probably, he was there, watching as someone stumbled upon that monstrous shit or-,"

"Or he was the one to give the tip." Sherlock smiled and looked down at Kairi who was smiling up at him he bent forward quickly and stole a kiss that left her surprised, "Where's the cafe?"

Kairi typed it into maps and pulled it up, "Not far from here."

Sherlock's eyes took in the computer screen, flashing over the address and map location and instantly formed the quickest possible route for the time of day, "Excellent, let's go." He grabbed her hand and yanked.

She flew from the chair with a yelp as Sherlock tugged her along, feeling like she was skipping to keep up with him, "Sherlock I'm in my pajamas, I can't go out like this!"

Sherlock scoffed, "You look fine," He palliated her.

She scowled, "I'm not wearing underwear or a bra you buffoon! I'm not going out like this."

"The game is on Kairi we mustn't dawdle!" He said angrily.

Kairi rolled her eyes, "He's not going to be there. He probably paid in cash! Fact is, I can run outside right now, no bra, no undies and flirt or flash my way into some information, but I haven't done that in quite some time and I'd like to keep these babies underneath clothes when it's so cold outside.  _Or_  let me go get properly dressed and I will disarm them with my charm and then beat them into submission with my intellect!" She finished venomously.

Sherlock paused at the bottom of the stairs to look back at her and Kairi ripped her wrist from his hand and gave him a dirty look as she walked into her flat to go change. She just threw on some jeans, boots, and a t-shirt with appropriate undergarments, grabbing her thick, hooded jacket and a scarf and throwing it on. She wasn't wearing any make up and she glanced out to see Sherlock pacing in her front room with Appa at his heels, happily engaging in the  _walking in circles game_  as Sherlock tried to wave him off. She chuckled and jumped into her bathroom, swiping on some hastily applied eye liner, some mascara, and grabbing some lightly tinted chapstick. She knew it was stupid, but if she were going to be talking to people, she needed a little something to hide behind.

She walked back out to an overly exaggerated sigh from Sherlock who was staring at her impatiently, "Sherlock," She grumbled, "I'm not John, I wont go traipsing about all over London with you to solve murders. This is important, I'm not dragging my feet to want to be properly dressed to interview people. Look at you, you always wear a bloody suit and that jacket with the collar thing," He gave her a dirty look and opened his mouth to reply but she put up a finger and then used it to point at her face, indicating her make up, "This is my suit, scarf, and fancy coat, ok?"

Sherlock oddly could relate and so he nodded, "Shall we?"

"Are we walking?" Kairi asked.

"Yes, it's not that far and like you've said, any information available will likely still be waiting there." Sherlock sighed, "We shall go to Bart's after, to check up on the body."

"Ok, Appa's coming." She smiled and clipped the lead to Appa in a flash.

"But-!" Sherlock started, horrendously disappointed as Kairi wrapped Appa up in his volunteer vest.

"He's already dressed!" She smiled widely and couldn't help but find a deep inner joy at aggravating the detective as she ran past him and out her door with a joyful Appa, "Do keep up Sherlock." She added, trying to contain her laughter as she watched his entire body tense.

He turned sharply, his lip in a firm line as he whisked out of Kairi's home and she locked the door, following the hilariously fuming detective.

* * *

As they strolled down the street, nearing the cafe finally, Kairi was glancing up at Sherlock who still looked rather ruffled. She wanted to keep prodding him, since they were both silent for the entire walk, stealing glances at each other, Sherlock frowning, Kairi beaming.

"So is this like, a date?" Kairi looked up at the detective who was capable of walking and looking utterly shocked.

"Excuse me?" He muttered for lack of something more intelligent to say.

"Well, taking someone out on a case, seems to be just about as romantic as you get." She stifled her chuckle.

"I take John out on cases, that is not  _romantic_." He added vehemently.

"Well he's not a girl." She added sweetly.

He glared down at her, "I've brought Molly once or twice." He spat.

Kairi chuckled, "You haven't slept with Molly though, did you?"

Sherlock's eyes went wide as saucers as he glanced around to people surrounding him, "Keep that down and no I have not."

Kairi chuckled, "It's too easy to ruffle you sometimes."

Sherlock looked down at her, "You do seem to bother me more often than most others."

Kairi smiled brightly, nudging into Sherlock as they walked, "I take that as a complement!"

Sherlock glanced down at her, a light smile on his lips, "I know you do." Kairi winked.

"Ah! We're here!" She smiled and sat Appa at the entrance and commanded him to stay. She pulled out her hair and let it fall down her shoulders and back in rippled waves, fluffing it a bit with her fingers as Sherlock stared at her confused. Appa waited patiently as they walked inside.

Kairi got friendly pretty quickly, walking up to the clerk while removing her jacket with a flourish and leaning on the counter, smiling a lot and making the cashier laugh. Evidently a love of computers was enough to cement instant friendships. Sherlock watched Kairi as she talked, he noticed her smile, but it didn't reach her eyes. The discomfort he felt while noticing how the attendant behind the counter licked his lips and smiled at her was abated by Kairi's obvious disinterest.

She was milking him for information, forming a competent lie about her jealous stalker ex-boyfriend who she hated. She thought he had come in here today to try and hack into her account for her Facebook and yell at her gay friend for commenting on all of her pictures at a certain time. She was portraying herself to be much younger than she actually was of course, and of much lower intelligence. It actually was distasteful how much the idiot was sopping up her story simply because of the roll of her hips or how she leaned on the counter, letting her shirt gap open just barely enough for a shadow of cleavage.

As his eyes traveled down to take a peek Sherlock finally stepped in, "That's well enough, take us to the backroom." The signs were obvious.

The clerk looked affronted and Kairi was shaking like a leaf at the surprise and effort of her act. "Hey mate, I don't know who the hell you think you is-," Sherlock noticed that Kairi winced at that, "- but you can't just barge in here like you owns the place!"

Sherlock rolled his eyes and pulled out a hundred pound note and slammed it on the counter with a rattle, "Back room please or I can call the police about the business you let transpire in the back. Illegal downloads I'm guessing, unmonitored hours for the right price? I wonder how many ephebophiles frequent this area? Child porn addicts? Hm?" Sherlock gave his most sinister smile to the attendant who looked severely rattled.

"Yeah alright mate, no need to get testy." He glanced to Kairi and smiled, "You stay here princess, I'll be right out."

Kairi only responded with a derisive grimace, but Sherlock replied, "Oh no, she's coming with me. She's  _my_  computer expert." Kairi had to admit she enjoyed the sound of it.

The guy looked dumbfounded, staring at the tiny blonde. She just responded with a cheesy smile and a shrug.

They walked back behind the counter and through a door which was labeled as employees only. They went past another door marked as the server room and when they entered it was astonishingly cold.

Kairi eyed the server set up, way too powerful, even for the hardware they had out front and she glanced at Sherlock who gave her a knowing nod. Once they reached another back room, she was surprised to see the set up. There were four computers, each in its own private cubby, and it was adorned with some of the best equipment available on the market. Sleek and sexy and probably hand crafted to specific specifications. She couldn't wait to open one up and peak inside. She wasn't strictly a computer guts expert, but she knew enough to navigate her way through it.

"You're drooling." Sherlock muttered at her side.

She glared back up at him, "Shut it."

He grinned again without a word.

"Which one was used last?" Kairi asked, hoping it would be the right one.

"Number two." The clerk muttered uncomfortably.

Kairi nodded and went to go inspect it.

"What is this?" The man asked nervously, "You ain't cops are ya?"

Kairi rolled her eyes as she logged into the computer with supplied information. It seemed that each time after a computer was used, a new user profile was created fresh for the next customer, the previous one most likely purged. She shrugged, it was an impressive system, but she felt skeevy just sitting in the chair. Anyone who went to lengths as great as this must have a serious browsing history to hide. It made her shiver.

"No, not the cops. You may excuse yourself." Sherlock nodded to the man with a withering look and so he left. He approached Kairi and stood behind her, "Anything?"

Kairi was typing away, trying to access the main system controls through a bit of a round about method. She was giggling a bit, feeling like a spy - even though her day job was severely more spyish but tended to be much more mundane. She glanced at Sherlock who stood at her shoulder, staring at the computer. She had to admit she had a much more attractive boss this time around.

"Focus." He flicked his gaze to her in a disapproving manner.

Kairi wrinkled her nose at him, "Sorry." She stared back at the computer screen typing away hundreds of letters into a black box on the screen. She was staring for a moment, angry it seemed at the machine for not doing what she wanted it to.

"What's wrong?"

Kairi growled, "There's nothing here." She hissed out a breath between her teeth, her fingers clacking against the keys like rocks against a window. She was leaning forward now, trying to circumvent some of the more stringent security protocols that had been implemented, "Fuck!" She yelled and a different screen showed itself.

_/Mr Sandman  
/Bring me a dream._

"What the fuck?" Kairi hissed.

"What is this?" Sherlock growled, leaning down over her shoulder so their faces were almost touching as they stared at the screen.

"I... I'm not sure I know." She flicked her eyes to Sherlock's face which was so close to hers she could smell him but she shoveled that away for the moment, "We should take this back with us. Get Lestrade's men to look at it. They have proper ways to dig into it. Plus this place needs to get shut down."

_/Make her compaction  
/Like peaches and cream_

Their eyes glanced back at the screen, "What does that mean?" Sherlock said quietly.

Kairi's eyes widened, "It's a song, from the 50s or something."

_/Give her two lips  
/Like roses on clover_

Sherlock shivered, glancing for a moment to Kairi's lips and he felt a seething fear in his gut. "Moran?"

Kairi shook her head, "Mycroft's information say anything about him being a medical student and/or a genius computer hacker?"

"No, but he could have an accomplice." Sherlock felt himself growling.

Kairi felt herself shudder, "I don't know, it seems... out of style for him." Sherlock narrowed his eyes at the computer.

"Is this an active connection? Or some sort of...delayed recording?" Sherlock asked and Kairi smiled at him slightly.

"I can't interact with it, it's a running program that doesn't have any command prompts." She glared at the computer.

_/Tell me that my lonesome nights are over_

"I don't understand." Sherlock hissed.

"Lyrics." She grumbled and kept trying to execute a program to override the computer but it wasn't budging.

"This is tiresome. Can you turn it off?" Sherlock growled.

Kairi sighed, "I'm trying, but I can't stop it. Its locked the rest of the system functions. This is amazing."

Sherlock looked at her, staring at the computer screen with abject wonder. New words appeared that distracted Sherlock.

 _/Sandman_  
/I'm so alone  
/Don't have nobody to call my own

"This is highly unnerving. They're coming faster now." Kairi looked to Sherlock who was deep in thought.

_/Please turn on your magic beam  
/Mr. Sandman wants to hear you _ _**scream** _

Kairi gulped heavily, "Well that's definitely not in the song."

"What?" Sherlock leaned forward.

There was a hissing noise to Kairi's right, on the other side of Sherlock. "Oh Jesus!" She screamed, leaping from her chair and tackling Sherlock in one swift motion, hitting him in the gut whooshing the air out of his lungs. A loud crack and a flash of light erupted behind them, but was gone almost as quickly as it started.

"Fuck!" Kairi hissed and slammed her fists to what was beneath her. Unfortunately that was Sherlock and he gave an  _oof_  in response and she looked up at him apologetically, "Sorry."

Quickly, Sherlock rolled them over, pulling Kairi up to stand rather quickly and ripping her jacket off of her and throwing it to the ground stomping on it furiously. "You were smoldering." He growled. Kairi stood there shaking wildly as the room filled with smoke and alarms started blaring. He grabbed her by the shoulders and glared down at her, "That was foolish."

"It was exploding! I didn't think, I just reacted!" She growled at him, wincing at the strength of his hands around her upper arms.

"It was clear you weren't thinking." He spat.

Kairi coughed, "You could say thank you!" She growled back and struggled in his grasp.

"For what? Almost getting yourself killed?" He snarled as she glared at him

"No, for saving your stupid life!" She screamed at him and went to stomp on his toe but he averted it.

Sherlock was glaring at her with an unreadable emotion. Kairi assumed it was anger since it felt like he might snap her arms like twigs if he squeezed any tighter. What she didn't expect was Sherlock crashing his lips to hers in a frantic way, pulling apart almost as fast as they began.

"Wha-?" Kairi coughed again.

"For saving my life." He let go of her as the clerk came running in screaming his head off about lawsuits and fire hazards and flapping his arms frantically at the now smoking machine that didn't seem to have anything left to explode.

"I guess we should probably call Lestrade." Kairi coughed as Sherlock grabbed the attendant and pulled him reluctantly out of the room so he didn't die of smoke inhalation.

"Yes I assume we should." Sherlock admitted begrudgingly.

As they made their way outside for fresh air, taking in giant heaping breaths of it, Kairi started chuckling as she saw Appa, sitting at the undisturbed front of the shop waiting for her happily. She patted him on the head and he sniffed her a little dejectedly.

"He's gonna be pissed." Kairi chuckled and Sherlock looked at his phone almost nervously.

He held it out to her, "You call him. Use your feminine wiles to convince him it wasn't my fault."

Kairi gave him an incredulous look, "I'll tell you where you can put my feminine wiles!" She growled, shivering in just her t-shirt.

Sherlock rolled his eyes and he removed his jacket quickly, handing it to her as he pressed a phone to his ear, "When he arrives try to look pathetic so he pities you."

Kairi rolled her eyes and suddenly her stomach began to sink as her knees practically knocked as panic finally set in. Someone just unsuccessfully attempted to blow up her and Sherlock Holmes. She lowered herself to the ground and Appa made himself available as he always does. Kairi wrapped an arm around him and prayed for the whiskey fairy to make a personal delivery.

"Yes," Sherlock said looking down at her, "Yes, that look will do."

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

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>  **a/n**   
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> **SQUEEE that was a fun chapter to write!! I'm still under the weather so I'm hoping it was at least fun to read.**  
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> _We are getting closer to my goal - around 200 either comments/favorite/follows/etc and I will start my side project._  
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> _This case will probably not be going as you wish... In the next chapter I will clarify that for you._  
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> _The Sign of Three........oh dear lord i'm dying...just absolutely gasping...I've already watched it three times...I cant stop. Its amazing...Oh sweet baby jesus....*fans self*_  
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> _Please comment/favorite/follow!!! Let me know how I cant tempt you further ;D_  
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	29. -29-

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Rated M for possible panty vaporization

Kairi and Sherlock finally limped their way into Bart's. Kairi was exhausted, more than half the day was gone and all she wanted to do was go home and take a bath alone and go to sleep. She smiled to herself, glancing at Sherlock who looked slightly cross, but otherwise put together. Kairi felt like earth's gravity had increased exponentially and it tugged her down with every step.

When Lestrade had arrived at the scene of the very minor explosion with Donovan in tow, she was surprised by Lestrade's reaction, trotting over to her side and pulling her into his arms. He hugged her tightly and Kairi relished in the comfort he provided. Lestrade was her very good friend and it felt very nice indeed to be showered with such attention. It was not something that she sought after constantly, but she was not Sherlock, she did enjoy some human interaction. The presence of a friend still comforted her. She had her face buried in his neck when she finally let herself begin to shake and heave in reaction to her past hour. It wasn't everyday that you almost got blown up. Granted the blast wouldn't have killed them, but it would have maimed them severely if she hadn't gotten them out of the way and that factor was terrifying. Its one thing to be vaporized instantly, its another to be blown to bits and then survive as bits. Once her tears had subsided, she was surprised to look up and see Sherlock staring at her and Lestrade embracing, the strangest of expressions on his face.

After being questioned and recounting the story with painfully exact details, Lestrade had been happy to trolly them over to St. Bart's to meet up with Molly and John so they could discuss the body and the case. When they got in the car, Sherlock surprised her by wrapping an arm around her shoulder to hold her closely. Kairi wasn't sure that it was a comforting arm, it seemed possessive and the look on Donovan's face was worth a month of her salary from Mycroft. The idea of Sherlock Holmes, holding a woman close to him, protectively, was not something she could process. Kairi tried to relish in it, but Sherlock didn't seem close, he felt distant and cold. His arm felt almost uncomfortable the way it was grabbing her. For a moment, she thought he may actually be in shock. The drive was intense and silent.

Sherlock seemed to stiffen when they arrived at Bart's. He pulled his arm away and put a distance between them shortly before the car stopped and he got out, leaving her behind. She wasn't all that upset by him leaving her. She had gotten most of her shock out in the form of tears and quivers while in Lestrade's arms. As she scooted towards the door to exit, she froze in the middle of her seat with a sudden realization.

Sherlock was jealous.

She let out a bark of laughter, that caused Donovan and Lestrade to glance back at her as they went to exit the car.

"Alright?" Donovan asked as Lestrade exited with a chuckle on his lips. Kairi nodded, trying to keep her manic laughter inside. Donovan only nodded and said something under her breath, Kairi thought it sounded something like " _Completely fucking batty_."

Lestrade was walking around the open door as Kairi scooted the rest of the way across the bench. She glanced up as she put her feet out and saw Lestrade's hand extending to her, she opened her mouth to dispel the need for his courtesy, but was interrupted.

"Excuse me,  _detective_." Sherlock growled the word like a curse. Kairi glared up at him as he nudged an absolutely appalled Detective Inspector Lestrade out of the way. Everyone thought he was already inside Bart's. Sherlock stood in front of Kairi extending his hand. She stared at him for a moment, trying to assess him in the best way she could. Her eyes narrowed when she met his gaze. He was not being caring, he was being possessive of her and she wasn't sure she appreciated it - especially when coming in the form of vehemence for her good friend. He had already stated that he didn't mind their friendship, he was not allowed to change his mind on that as nothing would ever happen between her and Lestrade - not in that manner anymore.

So she scowled a bit more and slapped his hand away, "I'm not a child, I can get up myself, thank you."

Now it was Lestrade's turn to let out a guffaw as Sherlock turned to glare at him while Kairi pushed her way through the both of them. She glanced at Lestrade, her face directed away from Sherlock and she winked but kept her voice cold, "You aren't helping either."

Lestrade nodded, pursing his lips to keep them from smiling as he glanced at Sherlock who looked smug. As Sherlock went to follow Kairi, Lestrade let the smile seep back onto his lips as Donovan came to his side, "What is that all about?" She muttered as they began following the pair, Sherlock stiff as a board but trying to edge his way closer to Kairi who wasn't allowing it.

"Dear God," Lestrade chuckled, wiping a hand at his face, "Sherlock's being a tit, that's what this is about." Donovan stared at him, confused and Lestrade just dismissed it with a shake of his head.

Kairi glanced up at Sherlock, she was miffed but amused. The man was capable of jealousy. A lot of it, it seemed. His eyes narrowed and his cheek twitched with the tension in his jaw. She tried to keep the smile off her face as he glared ahead, looking dirty but composed. She probably was in quite a state, but she didn't care. She leaned over and slid her arm around his and he glanced down at her, emotionless. She smiled a little, looking forward and squeezing his arm tightly as they walked, leaning into one another.

"Childish." She said quietly and Sherlock glanced down at her, seeing the smile on her lips. He couldn't fight the small grin that lifted the corners of his mouth.

When they arrived in the morgue, Molly was deep into her autopsy, John sitting by the side, watching her work diligently as she recorded all of her findings.

Kairi froze at the door as Sherlock tried to trudge forward, stopped by the vice-like grip that Kairi had around his arm. He looked down at her, dust and dirt covering her face, wrapped up in his long coat, looking like a scared child wearing her father's clothes. His eyes narrowed at this deduction, it must be why she found so much comfort in his coat. She probably used to do the same with her father's clothing and now she had become accustomed to it. The thought nagged him, how she found comfort in  _his_  clothing and yet she had dissolved into tears and sought out comfort from Lestrade. Perhaps she would prefer wearing  _his_  clothing. He shook the dark and absolutely insipid voice from his head and examined her features: taut, horrified. She was not ready to see the corpse in real life.

He cleared his throat, trying to clear his mind of the obnoxious thoughts that clouded his mind a moment before, "Kairi?"

She shook slightly and then looked up at Sherlock, a confused tilt to her head, "Huh?" Sherlock only motioned with the smallest flick of his head, a clear question in his eyes as he gazed at her, "Oh," She let out a shuddering breath, "I'm alright. I just, I don't know why I didn't think I would be seeing the corpse." She said the last word with an odd gulp, her eyes glancing forward and resting on the beautiful coroner, elbow deep in all sorts of innards. This was a drastic contrast in Kairi's mind, watching Molly work would be fascinating and horrifying at the same time. Someone so sweet and caring, so very, very muddled in a dark profession.

Sherlock nodded, "If you aren't prepared -,"

"No!" She said vehemently, "No, I'm part of the case, aren't I?" She looked up at Sherlock and saw his nod. He didn't look pedantic, only affirming her because what she stated was fact. He wasn't trying to comfort her or encourage her, she would need to make her own decision. She enjoyed this about Sherlock, he was always straightforward and she needed that. "Then I need to see the body."

He seemed a bit proud of her in that moment and they continued into the autopsy room, Molly looking up, blood up to her elbows and some gore on her coroner's apron. Kairi tried not to flinch, it was such an opposing image, Molly's bright and excited face as she smiled and waved, covered in the guts of a murder victim.

Kairi almost laughed if it weren't for the smell. The smell was most difficult, she tried very hard to pretend the rest of the scene was a movie set, meticulously engineered to look like the real thing. She felt her gut drop when she realized that the scene before her was almost exactly that, with the video and all, and it made her cringe.

"What do you have Molly?" Sherlock slipped his arms from Kairi who stood a ways back as he walked over to the body and began inspecting it. "Kairi, I need my kit. Left inside pocket."

Kairi jumped a bit, hearing her name, but she obliged, reaching into Sherlock's coat and pulling out the small wrapped kit. She had seen it before, when he cleaned and disinfected the items - a quite meticulous process he liked to do on her dining room table since it was clear of all of his experiments. She walked closer, handing it to him, trying to avert her gaze from the mangled body on the table.

She took a step back and her eyes flashed to John who was finally taking her appearance in.

"Jesus," He looked to Sherlock who was too busy inspecting the body to bother with John's observation, "What happened to you two?"

"Explosion." Sherlock said distractedly, as if it were commonplace.

"What?" Molly sounded frantic, almost bringing her blood soaked hands up to her face, until she thought better of it. "Are you alright?"

"That is a ridiculously obvious question Dr. Hooper. We are here aren't we?" Sherlock replied scathingly and John and Molly both rolled their eyes.

"I wasn't asking about you, Sherlock 2.0. I'll go wash up." She hissed and Sherlock froze with the realization that Molly had actually stood up to him and insulted him - or so he assumed. There was a tiny smile on his lips as he continued his inspection of the body.

Kairi chuckled as Sherlock worked and Molly began cleaning herself up so she could come back and talk to Kairi about the explosion. John made his way over and began inspecting her. "I'm fine, really. A few scratches here and there, but nothing a good bath wont fix." She saw Sherlock halt slightly at that and she had to fight her sigh and her desire to add  _alone_  to her sentence. She looked back at John who seemed concerned.

"Why on earth were you near an explosion? Weren't you just checking up on the video?" He asked and then shook his head, "You were with Sherlock though, I shouldn't be surprised. He seems to enjoy his companions mixed with explosives." John grunted acerbically over his shoulder to which Sherlock replied with a hitch of his lips.

Kairi let a tired smile form on her lips, "Well, it's a long story." She replied as her and John went to sit on some stools by an empty table. "We found the location where the video was posted - thanks to some fancy-shmancy computery type things and Mycroft's super powered computer - and we went to investigate it. Sherlock figured we might be able to get some information from the clerk. It was just a upscale Internet cafe, but behind the scenes they had a rather interesting set up with private computers, loaded with software and impressive enough hardware even Mycroft would have been surprised to see. It was probably only a step or two below the type of stuff he uses in our department, believe me when I say these computer were high-powered and well protected. Color me impressed."

Molly made her way out, glaring a bit at Sherlock who was staring at her corpse and looking like he wanted to start poking things, "Hands off that one. No experiments allowed." She pointed a sharp finger at Sherlock's pouting face, but she ignored it and walked over to Kairi and began her own inspection, "You should really let me clean you up. You covered with dust and bits."

Kairi smiled at her friend, "I'm alright Molly, I just need to go home for a shower and then a bath and some wine and forget the world for a little." She looked over Molly's shoulder to glance at Sherlock who seemed busy and lowered her voice, "How in the hell do you two keep up with him? I feel like I'm going to keel over."

John chuckled, "Your body will adjust to the adrenaline eventually." He smiled at Kairi who was just chuckling, looking like she was indeed about to fall out of the chair for a nap on the cold morgue floor, "You'll probably have a heart episode by thirty-five but you wont be bored."

Kairi let out a laugh at that, wiping a hand down her face, "Well," She sighed and hopped off her chair, "Molly, want to walk me through the corpse stuff?"

Both John and Molly looked surprised, "A-are you sure?" Molly wondered, "You look - well, like death warmed over."

Kairi chuckled, "Well, I just want a quick look at the body, a fast run down, then I'm going to go home and sleep for a week." She poked at Molly's shoulder and she continued in a whisper, "It's why I wanted you to do it and not Sherlock. If I asked him to do it I'd be stuck in here for hours. He'd start going on about how when the corpse was nine years old he enjoyed skipping rocks across the family pond or something. My brain is too tired for that."

Molly nodded and smiled, "Alright, well come on over here, you can check out my transcribed notes instead of fussing with the body."

Kairi was grateful for that and followed Molly to her desk as John stepped over to Sherlock and began discussing the corpse with him in hushed tones. Molly handed her the freshly printed pages and Kairi began to page through them. Molly's observations were all sorted and organized very effectively and though Kairi had no knowledge of real-life coroner work, she read the pages with an excited air. She had always been fascinated by pathology, but knew she didn't have the stomach to face the numerous battered bodies from violence, death, or worse, a misguided sense of love. As her eyes scanned over the meticulous document, mesmerized by Molly's methodology and her inspection of specific wounds, giving insight to the investigators about possible tools used to make such cuts, Kairi found herself in awe of Molly's obvious prowess. She faintly heard Molly mentioning that she would need to close up the corpse soon and Sherlock grunted in agreement.

"This is astonishing work Molly!" Kairi beamed up at the blushing pathologist.

"Oh, you know autopsies well?" Molly asked, genuinely confused.

Kairi shook her head, "Not one bit, but it sounds brilliant and your insights will be incredibly helpful for the investigation."

Molly smiled at her, "Well, thanks." Molly glanced over her shoulder and scooted in closer, leaning into Kairi, "So how are things with..." She trailed off, tilting her head towards the consulting detective and his doctor as they donned gloves and began poking about the corpse. Molly frowned at them.

Kairi smiled, "They are good. Though I think he's a bit miffed with me about Lestrade."

Molly looked back to Kairi, raising her eyebrows in surprise, "Oh, what happened?"

Kairi shrugged her shoulders, "I went into shock after the explosion, had a bit of a melt down when Lestrade arrived and he was the one hugging me."

Molly's eyebrows sunk this time, "Really?" She sounded astonished, "You think Sherlock's bothered by this?" That entire sentence tasted odd in her mouth.

Kairi sort of squinted at Molly, "Well I'm not sure, but he was acting very...I don't know,  _possessive_  after the fact. To be honest, I'm a bit riled at him for it."

Molly pursed her lips in thought, "Well don't be too rough on him, he's an idiot when it comes to human nature."

Kairi chuckled, "I wont, I'm merely surprised."

Molly smiled, "To be honest, I bet he is too." She shrugged and then went back to the case, "So this whole explosion thing, you believe it be tied to the case?"

Kairi nodded, "Well, seeing as how the video was posted from that location, hidden behind a lot of subterfuge to make us think it was really in Egypt, plus the creepy message we received before the damn thing blew up, with me practically nose to nose with the tower, yeah, it's got to be."

"God, a message?" Molly solicited, "Honestly, a message? Cant he ever have a normal case?"

Kairi let out a light snort, "He wouldn't bother with it."

Molly smiled, "Well I guess that's true, the brilliant git." She chuckled. "What was the message then?"

Kairi frowned this time, a chill seeping into her bones, remembering the song from her childhood. Her father was always a fan of "Golden Oldies" as he put it. She definitely enjoyed some of the mo-town and doo-wop groups from that era, but her appreciation leaned more towards classic rock of later years, "It was strange, a song that I knew from childhood. He used the lyrics to convey a message. It would have gotten us completely singed if I didn't catch the whine of the explosive before it detonated."

"Oh dear," Molly sighed, "That sounds terrifying."

Kairi shrugged, trying to keep the smile from her lips, "It was honestly pretty exciting until the almost blown to bits part."

Molly smiled, "Well damn, now both of you are hooked."

Kairi laughed, "No I don't quite think I could be like John. John thrives off of it. I just don't mind it, you know, infringing on my life and all. I don't know if I want to be running about England all the time trying to save the world. Here and there maybe, but I don't think I need the excitement every day. I'm not a soldier like John. I'm not an addict like Sherlock."

Molly nodded, "But you need him."

It definitely wasn't a question and Kairi looked up at Molly, her eyes full of understanding. If anyone knew what it was like to love Sherlock Holmes and John Watson it was Molly. She knew what it meant to love a man who was maddening and brilliant and exciting, someone who you spent hours and hours thinking and worrying and pining after. Kairi felt a stab in her heart, realizing just how much it must hurt Molly to see her and Sherlock together, "Oh God Molly..." Kairi sighed, seeing the tiniest wetness in Molly's eyes, Kairi's words were loaded with remorse, "I'm so sorry."

Molly shook her head smiling and pushed at Kairi's shoulder, "Never apologize for it Kairi. I was never meant for Sherlock Holmes and that's ok. Part of me hurts of course, but its a small and stupid part that loved him in the first place. I care for John greatly and he's just what I needed in my life. I am happy to see the two of you together. I am happy to see Sherlock Holmes being somewhat happy, back to his old self.

"Since he's returned he's been almost impossible with me and John, completely exhausting. He kept up airs for everyone else, made them believe just how  _Sherlock_  he could be, but the ones close to him saw it. I could see how far away he was from the rest of the world, even further than before." Molly smiled wide though, her eyes brimming with a sadness in seeing her friend so very hurt, "It wasn't easy and I felt like I was mad for so long, noticing these small things, but he was so different Kairi. Before he left, he was happy with his life and with John and with murders and saving the world, but after Moriarty, after whatever he did those years he was gone, he came back just a little bit emptier." Molly shook her head, her voice wavering slightly as she cleared her throat to look back up at Kairi.

"Kairi, John introduced him to humanity, taught him how to blend in, showed him the value of friendship, but Moriarty," She paused, her breath catching in her throat, "He ripped it all away from Sherlock. He tore Sherlock to pieces, even if the idiot doesn't want to believe it. Sherlock pieced himself back together, but whatever he went through while he was gone had changed him. John Watson saved Sherlock Holmes, he showed him humanity again, showed him friendship, but you, Kairi," Molly sighed again placing her hands on Kairi's awestruck shoulders, "Kairi you  _made_  him want to be human. He sought you out, practically hunted you down for companionship among all others!" She laughed nervously, "Kairi, what you've done for Sherlock Holmes is something I can never thank you enough for."

Kairi's jaw was slack, staring at her teary friend, "What? What have I done? I gave him cigarettes and a bloody nose.."

Molly pulled her into a hug and Kairi squeezed her back, "Kairi you've given Sherlock a bit of heart none of us thought he had or ever needed. The best thing about you is that you love Sherlock for  _exactly_  who he is. You don't want him to change. I didn't think anyone could love him that way, not even me."

Kairi's breath caught in her chest as she sighed, holding back tears and she held Molly closely. She didn't know Sherlock before his death, she hadn't seen the way he once was, better or worse than who he was now. Kairi knew it didn't matter, she just wanted him; brilliance and beauty and splintered pieces of humanity. She knew that she loved him, she loved him very much, but now it was painfully apparent that Kairi was, absolutely in fact,  _in love_ with Sherlock Holmes. That simple inflection made a world of difference.

"Are you two quite done with your  _emotional_  display?" Sherlock said, his voice indicating his disinterest, "The corpse is ready for you Molly." They could hear the smile in his voice. He was keen on this case.

Molly and Kairi pulled back, a few tears spilling onto their cheeks as they glanced at John and Sherlock who both looked absolutely perturbed. The girls began to laugh as they held onto each other in a knowing way. John and Sherlock exchanged a confused look and Sherlock was disappointed to see that John had no idea how to interpret it.

John noticed Sherlock's frown and he chuckled, "What Sherlock?"

Sherlock rose an eyebrow, "I was under the assumption you understood human interaction."

John frowned at him, "Well I've wasted most of my time trying to understand you, so I may be a bit rusty." He chuckled and Sherlock let a small smile escape.

The girls continued to laugh and Sherlock made his way over to Kairi and placed a hand on her shoulder that wasn't leaning into Molly, "We should return to Baker Street. You probably should rest and I need to review some case information before approaching Lestrade."

Kairi nodded and chuckled, she let go of Molly and stood, leaning in and kissing Molly on the cheek with a loud smack, "Love you Molly."

Molly smiled wide and nodded, a little shy Sherlock assumed by the blush on her cheek, it was not a very British thing to do to profess your love for someone so openly, "Love you too." She added with a squeak and Kairi smiled as she looked up and Sherlock, her eyes wide and full of happiness and adoration. He assumed it was for Molly until she reached up and wrapped her arms around him, pulling him so very close and holding him tightly.

He was shocked of course, he could smell death on himself and yet she wrapped herself around him, holding him closely as she pressed her face into his neck and let her lips press gently into his skin as he wrapped his arms around her waist and tightened his grip. His stomach seemed uneasy in this moment and he wondered if he may be hungry. He glanced at Molly who was smiling brightly at him, no shred of anything else in her eyes, she watched him and nodded.

He leaned his head into Kairi's, adjusting so that his mouth could be close to her ear, "Let's stop and get some food shall we?"

Kairi nodded her head in the crook of his neck, the heat of her breath tickling his skin before she pulled away slowly and smiled up at him as if he were the only thing she could see. Sherlock swallowed gently, looking back into her eyes and he wasn't sure how to react to it. In all honesty, it made him a little nervous, almost giddy.

She let go and Sherlock just watched her as her hand went down to grasp his as if the task was nothing to her at all, a natural impulse just like blinking or breathing. Her small hands wrapped around his palm, her fingers pushing themselves between his own, so their hands joined together, impossibly close. The rest of the world seemed dull as he looked back up at her face, talking to Molly and John about something, but muttering her goodbyes and waving. She seemed so happy and so alive and it made Sherlock's chest want to burst, but he tried to hide it, tried to quash it. She had the most unnerving effect on him and as he glanced back to John, staying with Molly as she closed up the corpse it seemed, John just nodded and waved as Kairi tugged on his arm.

For once in his life, Sherlock was not the one dragging someone along to a new adventure. This time, he was the one being guided.

* * *

They reached Baker Street and now Kairi was the one practically being dragged along by Sherlock. They made their way inside and Kairi went straight for her flat, with Sherlock following her a bit unsure. She was quiet as they entered and Appa came rushing forward to greet them. He spent a few minutes whining at Kairi and sniffing her as is to ensure that she was alright. He then came up to Sherlock and began doing the same. Sherlock reached down and gave his head a reassuring pat. Appa seemed pleased and then followed Kairi into the bedroom where she began to disrobe.

She first slipped off Sherlock's jacket, a bit painfully it seemed by the way her arms stiffened and halted as they moved. He unbuttoned his jacket and removed it, feeling some similar strain in his own muscles. He watched her movements, gingerly removing her shirt and then sliding off her pants and he followed in suit. She was making her way into the bathroom, silent and tired and Sherlock slowly followed her.

She turned on the shower and then rounded back, coming face to chest with a very naked Sherlock, "Oh!" Kairi muttered sheepishly, a blush growing on her cheeks.

Sherlock raised an eyebrow, "Did I frighten you?" He asked jokingly.

Kairi chuckled, "Sorry my mind was miles away." She looked him up and down, blushing again, "So you'll be showering here?"

Sherlock kept his features stony as he looked down at her, trying not to focus on the body that was calling out for his fingertips, "Unless you prefer I leave."

Kairi smiled at him softly and shook her head, "Never Sherlock." She grabbed his hand and pulled him into the shower with her. They stepped under the piping hot spray and let it do the work for them. Kairi wrapped her tired arms around his neck and he held her there as she swayed against him out of exhaustion. The dust and the grime washed away quickly, swirling along the bottom on the tub as the water escaped through the drain.

Kairi tilted her head back, pulling her arms away to run fingers through her hair to get it perfectly saturated. This action caused her to arc her back slightly, pressing her breasts and stomach against Sherlock and he did his best not to let his breath falter at the sensation and sight. Her nipples were hard against his skin, tickling them in a feather-like fashion as she sighed against the water. Sherlock tried not to be aroused, but it was incredibly difficult.

Before Kairi could realize, he bent his head down and pressed his mouth against her neck, pulling her out of the spray and forcing her body against his. She gasped slightly, awkwardly wiping the water from her eyes as Sherlock's mouth licked and nipped across the skin of her neck and one hand moved against her back to pull her closer, the other snaked down to cup the cheek of her buttocks. She almost wanted to protest, almost wanted to ask him to stop, but the genuine desire growing in her belly told her that she wanted him to continue. Who was she fooling? Every bit of her wanted him to continue even the tired part.

With his lips against her neck, trailing up to her earlobe, he pulled the tiny bit of skin into his mouth and sucked it gently, when his teeth released it, his breath was hot against her ear, making the water beating against her back seem like ice as it ran down her spine, "You are on birth control, of course."

Kairi frowned slightly, her arms wrapping around his shoulders and her fingers splayed against the skin on his back, "Yes of course, IUD."

Sherlock grumbled his assent, his mouth traveling along her jaw, "Yes that was my assumption."

Kairi chuckled as he continued to nip against her skin, "Oh was it? Why is that?" He always had the weirdest discussions when he was aroused, but this one of course had a point.

"Lack of pill-form birth control containers in your home. I've spent more than 24 hours straight with you without seeing you take a pill and if you were on birth control pills that would be extremely irresponsible of you since you're sexually active and don't desire children yet." He muttered as his lips pressed into hers, claiming her mouth in a hungry fashion, which Kairi easily responded to. "I've not seen a patch, did not feel a ring inside of you, nor did I notice a doctor's appointment in your schedule every three months for a shot. I see that you use condoms out of habit, preferring them because it's what you are accustomed to. However when I was inside you before," He growled in the back of his throat at the memory, "Without protection, you seemed comfortable, almost reckless in your reception of me."

Kairi chuckled, swallowing heavily at the sound of his growl, "Well, you did have me up against a wall."

She watched Sherlock's smile as he captured her lips again in a soft, yet passionate kiss, "I was hoping to do so again."

Kairi felt flustered as his hand traveled from her bottom, to her hip, and slowly descended down to press between her legs, "There's still a chance at pregnancy." She muttered through a moan in her mouth.

"It's highly unlikely since your ovulation cycle was last week." He said quietly against her lips as he nipped the bottom one.

Kairi paused, a hand reached down to grab the one that was so very effectively playing her like a fiddle, "I'm sorry, you track my ovulation cycle?"

Sherlock looked at her as if she were questioning that he noticed her hair was blonde, "Of course I've noticed your ovulation cycle. Mood change, temperature change, your cervical mucous -"

Kairi put a hand up, chuckling at him, "I think that's enough about my cervical mucous." He moved his hand to her hip and he pulled her closer again, just holding her against him, his erection pressing against her belly as the water beat against them, "I should feel that my privacy is violated," She began and he looked a bit shocked, "But I'm not. I guess that's kind of nice to have my own personal ovulation assistant."

"Well the texture of your cervix was also very different last week compared to-"

Kairi put a hand against his lips to silence him and she laughed, "Yes, thank you ovulation assistant." He seemed to smile against her hand and he kissed her fingers, "Well, it's not something I've done before, let someone come inside me. I've never really had that sort of commitment."

Sherlock raised his eyebrows at that, "Commitment?"

Kairi rolled her eyes as his tone which seemed, almost, disgusted, "Yes  _commitment_. I don't tend to have sex with people who I'm not committed to. I'm not saying marriage and babies and diamonds, I'm just saying exclusivity and intent to be with one another." She looked up into his eyes and he seemed to be contemplating, "Perhaps this is a discussion for another time?"

Sherlock's eyes took hers in, "No, no this is fine. I assume we should have this discussion, to interpret our relationship." He sounded irked by the word.

Kairi let out a small laugh, "Well that's one way to make a girl swoon." She added sarcastically and Sherlock opened his mouth to reply but Kairi stopped him, "Okay," She said a little indignantly, "So let's have at it." She stepped back into the spray and grabbed her shampoo, "So Sherlock, what should be the parameters of our relationship? What do you wish to gain from our interaction?"

Sherlock scowled slightly, "I feel as if this is a trick. Isn't this usually some sort of female trap?"

Kairi laughed, "Again with the swooning." She smiled, "No this is an honest question Sherlock, what do you want from me? From us?"

Sherlock took a moment, steepling his fingers beneath his nose to think. Kairi tried not to giggle, watching a fully naked and erect Sherlock Holmes in his thinking stance in her shower, discussing their sexual and emotional relationship. He began to speak, "Well we have been engaging in sexual intercourse or variations for approximately five and a half weeks." Kairi nodded as she rinsed her hair of shampoo and reached for conditioner with Sherlock's eyes appreciating her body, "We have been companionable for quite some time now, months in fact."

"Yes, that's correct." Kairi nodded as she lathered up her limbs which Sherlock found grossly erotic.

"I'm under the impression that you have not had sexual partners other than myself for the last few years," His eyes ticked up and down her frame quickly, "Four to be precise."

Kairi rolled her eyes at him, "And?"

Sherlock exhaled heavily, "I do find myself concerned with your welfare and desiring your company." He watched the soap rinse away from her skin, carried by hot water that seemed to leave streaks of pink in its wake, causing him to swallow heavily.

Kairi tried to hide her smile, that was probably as much as Sherlock would compliment their relationship. "Anything else? Do you desire to be with other women? Or men for that matter?"

Sherlock frowned, wondering why she would ask such an inane question, "No, I do not desire sexual contact with other people. Desiring sexual contact with you almost seemed to be a fluke."

Kairi narrowed her eyes at him, "And you were doing so well."

Sherlock seemed confused, "Not good?"

Kairi shook her head, "Try not to claim that sleeping with me was an accident."

Sherlock pulled her back to him and wrapped his arm around her waist, "Well it was in fact an accident, I had no intention of developing sentiment towards you. I am only slightly disappointed in this fact, since I had believed myself to be immune to such inane desires. I find this accident, however unintentional,, quite fortuitous and quite...welcome." He placed a hand on her chin and lifted her eyes to meet him, "I am most pleased to have met you Kairi."

Kairi tried to hide her smile, "Oh, you are good with words." She got up on her tip toes and kissed him deeply for that, she turned them and he stepped back into the water and began to wash his hair and body, "Fine then, companionship of sexual and friendly nature and exclusivity. Am I missing anything?" Sherlock seemed to shake his head, "Okay then," Kairi continued, "For me, I feel very similar. I desire to be in your life Sherlock. Not the centerpiece at this point, but at least a part. I know your devotion to your work comes first and I have no desire to change that focus. I simply want you in my life and I will take what I can get from you. I have no intention of being with anyone else, but I will stand firm when it comes to my friends, especially Lestrade," Sherlock grimaced, "Now stop, he's my friend and he's special to me. If we are going to be companionable, as well as having sex, I need your trust as you have mine. I care deeply for you Sherlock. I feel like I always have, maybe it edged more towards loathing every so often, but I have always held you in high esteem. You are special to me." She reached up again to pull his mouth to hers gently. "I have no desire for a grand romance or flowers everyday, but it would be nice, if you found your own way, to express to me your care - even if it is something as overt as telling me directly or vague as, I don't know pulling on your ear," He stared at her, bemused, "You can figure this out, experiment with it, whatever it is you do to organize your methods. As long as you find a way to tell me, I am fine with it."

He looked at her oddly, "So you desire my trust and some sort of affirmation of my affections on a relatively constant basis?"

Kairi nodded, "In concordance with all of what you said as well."

Sherlock nodded, "I see. And sexual intercourse and orgasms do not count?"

Kairi pursed her lips to keep her smile from coming out, "Well, they do count, but there are other ways to show affection." Kairi reached behind Sherlock and turned the water off. He seemed to pout slightly as she turned to grab towels for them. They dried off quickly, Kairi wrapping the towel around her body and Sherlock securing his around his waist as they padded from the bathroom, finding Appa lying at the foot of the bed.

Kairi sat on the bed, toweling her hair dry and looking at Sherlock, "So does this seem fair?"

Sherlock glanced at her, his skin slightly moist and his curls leadened by water. He nodded to her and they bounced slightly which made her smile, "It seems tolerable."

Kairi chuckled as she squeezed out excess water and then handed the towel to Sherlock so he could dry off his own mane. He watched as she walked back into her bathroom and he heard the roar of her blow dryer. She was intending to lay down then. She usually only dried her hair when she was intending on going outside or lying down to rest. She did hate a wet pillow.

His thoughts toiled over their conversation and he tried to organize it effectively in the room of his mind palace where his knowledge of her resided. All of the information seemed straight forward and understandable. He admitted to his affections for her and his intentions, which were true. They did not identify the possibility of a future, but they did solidify what they intended to do with the present, which made Sherlock feel more comfortable with their arrangement. He would receive her companionship, the advantage of their sexual encounters, her friendship, and trust in exchange for the same from him. It seemed to be a rather fair deal and an effective communication. He did not go so far to assume this meant everything would slot easily into place over the course of their engagement, but at the same time, he understood that there were expectations set that needed to be respected. He could manage that and learn the rest along the way.

Kairi returned, her damp locks now brightened and fluffed, her skin smooth and pale, but almost luminous. She crossed in front of Sherlock supplying him with a shy smile that warmed him and she went to turn the light off as he finished mopping up his wet curls. Kairi shooed Appa off of the bed.

He resigned to lay on the floor, feeling as if this arrangement did not benefit him one bit.

They removed their towels and climbed into bed, Sherlock wrapping his body around Kairi's, her smooth back pressed against his front, the curve of her buttocks pressing into his groin in a comfortable yet invigorating fashion. His fingers splayed across the skin of her stomach and he felt her breathing deepen as he brought her closer to him. She moved her hair from her neck which Sherlock appreciated and he let his mouth brush against the sensitive skin there.

"A few nights ago," He murmured into her ear, "You said something to me." His voice was low and serious but laced with a hidden passion. "Something that perturbed me."

Kairi nodded as his fingers gently stroked the small tuft of hair between her thighs, "Yes?" She tried to keep her voice steady.

Sherlock swallowed, his lips pressing against her ear as his hips involuntarily pushed against her backside and she squirmed against him, "You told me that you loved me," He said softly and he felt her stiffen momentarily, "Did you mean that?" He said quietly, almost a whisper against her skin.

Kairi nodded, nervous, she replied, "Yes, I did."

They were silent for a few moments, Kairi tried to relax in his arms, but she felt tense. She wasn't looking at him but she could feel him holding her close to her. She was honestly surprised she wasn't thrown from the bed on her admission. But slowly she relaxed and Sherlock turned her gently, putting her onto her back as his arm underneath her moved to hold her against him.

His eyes were concerned, maybe confused as she looked up at them. She reached her hand up slowly and cupped his cheek, smiling at him gently. He leaned down and pressed his mouth to hers in a most chaste fashion, though his fingers began to move against her swiftly, causing her to moan deeply against his lips.

"I would very much like to show my affection in the form of an orgasm Ms. Aria." Sherlock said gently, smiling coyly, his eyes roving her face as she gasped and sighed at the movement of his hand against her.

"Oh alright." Kairi said in an air of nonchalance, though her closed eyes and the teeth taking in her bottom lip indicated her pleasure.

Sherlock smiled and his mouth fell upon her neck and chest with fervor, holding her in place with the arm around her shoulder. She gasped against him as his mouth bit into her skin and she felt his tongue soothe away the sharpness of the pain.

His mouth lowered, taking in a puckered nipple and toying with it between his teeth and lips. Her hips rolled against his hand and he could smell her arousal wafting up to him and it was most enticing. He watcher her hips and chest, writhing beneath his minstrations and he watched her hand reached out from grasping the sheets and wrap her delicate fingers around his length, eliciting a groan from deep within his chest.

The sensation of her skin, her tight grip stroking him gently as he pressed against the heat inside of her, was overwhelming and he detached his mouth from her nipple, pulling his hips away as she sighed in frustration, wanting to hold onto him for a little longer.

He took this chance as she looked up at him to roll himself on top of her, his hands moving to support him as his pelvis ground into hers and her thighs tightened around him as he lowered his mouth to steal an impassioned kiss. Their tongues rolled against each other in familiarity as well as desire, tasting one another and their intentions through their kiss. He pulled his mouth and his hips away, leaving Kairi groaning in disappointment and he tried not to chuckle as his mouth lowered from her neck, licking the taut tendons that were tense beneath her skin, to the dip in her throat where his tongue circled, and down between the valley of her breasts where his mouth so desperately wanted to stray. He moved slowly, his finger tips following the trail of his lips as Kairi rolled beneath him, desperate for his touch. His mouth descended further, nipping at her belly and hips and Kairi sighed as his lips brushed against her inner thighs, feeling the heat of his breath tickle at the hair between her legs.

His hands trailed down the inside of her thighs and to her knees, spreading them gently to widen his access to her most sensitive spot and he leaned in, licking his tongue along her slit causing a deep shiver to caress her body. He smiled, diving into her folds, tasting her desire in the most perfect way. The fragrance, the taste, it was intoxicating, maddening, as Kairi cried out, her hips gently curving themselves against his mouth, adding to the pressure and her sensation as his tongue pressed against her clit and undulated in deep waves.

He felt her fingers raking through his hair, tugging it gently and he growled deeply in his throat, the vibrations carrying across his tongue and causing a very deep reactive moan as Kairi gripped his curls. He watched her as his tongue swirled around her opening, dipping in gently, causing her back to arc and her breasts to push up, rounding gloriously in her pleasure. He reached one hand up to take a nipple between his fingers and he twisted it in the firm way that he knew Kairi enjoyed. She let out a very audible moan and he couldn't help as his finger found a way to her opening and curled itself inside of her causing her to moan his name.

That small act, the intonation of his name through her passion driven voice was enough to drive him mad and abandon him. He continued his assault, Kairi crying out over and over again, moaning and writhing as he caressed her breast and his tongue lavished her clitoris. He felt her quivering around him and he was tugged by the roots of his curls up to her face.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry for yanking you, but I need you." She moaned against him, pressing her mouth to his in haste and tasting herself on his lips and tongue.

Sherlock returned the kiss, his finger still deep inside of her, slowly curling against the speck of skin that would drive her perfectly into bliss.

"No." He growled most aggressively and took her mouth again fiercely as his finger danced inside of her. He pulled away sharply, grinning down at the mad woman below him and he reveled in her intoxication. She whimpered and released his curls quickly grabbing his neck and pulling him tightly against her mouth, but Sherlock would not allow it. "No, you will not have me." His voice was so deep it sent vibrations through her spine, making her lose her breath in the madness of his fingers. "I want to feel you crumble around my tongue." He snarled and then lowered himself, kissing his way down her front and allowing his mouth to ravish her.

He had never heard such moans escape Kairi as his tongue danced between her folds, a finger curled inside of her, and his fingers rolled a nipple between them. Kairi seemed to be lost in the sensation, her yelps of pleasure only inspiring him to continue his assault on her sanity. She rolled beneath him, her hips frantically pressing against his mouth and hand.

He felt it then, her insides quivered against him, he felt the heat inside of her rising, her voice seemed caught in her throat before she let out the most enticing and devastating groan in the form of Sherlock's name. It sent a spike straight through his core as he tasted her orgasm, lapping up the juices of her desire for him and only him. Her muscles pulsing against his tongue causing a shiver to go down his pine. He lapped at her gently as she came down from her perfect high, whining and groaning at the sensation as her fingers danced within his curls.

He kissed his way up her body, leaving traces of her orgasm on her skin in his wake until he found her lips, capturing them with ferocity as he settled between her thighs and pushed inside of her with a swift thrust. She cried out against him in wild abandon, her fingers gripping his curls tightly as she lifted her hips to meet his thrusts. He growled into her ear as her nails scraped along his back, his elbows positioned above her shoulders, pinning her in place as he gripped her long hair to force her mouth to open near his ear. He wanted to savor the sounds of her pleasure while he delved inside of her.

She panted and gasped and whined and he felt her closing in all around him, little yelps of pleasure escaping her lips as her entire body arced to meet him in a furious passion. One hand strayed from her blonde waves, sliding beneath her and pressing her lower back to keep her body pressed into his as he relentlessly drove himself into her. Her knees pressed into his sides and he pressed his full weight against her body, flexing and arcing his upper body while his hands moved down her sides to spread her thighs wide and allowing him deeper access. She let out a cry which rippled down his spine and a guttural groan escaped his lips with a gasping breath as his body released into her in a violent way ripping away one more scrap of defense Sherlock had built against sentiment and emotion.

They collapsed into each other, their muscles relaxing as they rocked against one another while their orgasms pulsed in perfect symphony. Kairi brought his lips to hers in this moment, their bodies winding down and their mouths seeking comfort for the almost violent end.

"Oh Sherlock..." Kairi sighed, her voice tight.

Sherlock finally met her eyes and noticed the tears that were falling down her cheeks, he reached up, wiping them away and kissing her gently, "I'm sorry, did I hurt you?"

Kairi only chuckled, kissing him gently, "No, no. Sorry its such a weird reaction to an orgasm." She flushed, looking embarrassed.

He smiled at her sweetly, "Don't apologize. You are..." He paused, taking in her features, "Breathtaking." He said softly and she sighed, kissing him gently.

Kairi smiled against his lips, trying not to chuckle again but he noticed, "I'm sorry." She sighed, still feeling him pulse inside of her as he leaned his forehead into hers, "That was incredible."

Sherlock nodded and kissed her lips gently, "Well, we did almost get maimed by proxy today by a psychopath."

Kairi snickered, "I see what you did there." She pressed her lips against his cheek and held his face in front of her to stare at. She smiled wide and mischievous and it made Sherlock nervous, " _So_..." She began.

Sherlock rose an eyebrow, "So?"

She looked down at them in their position, still quite wrapped around one another, "I guess this means we're boyfriend and girlfriend?" She bit her bottom lip to keep from laughing.

Sherlock groaned and rolled from her slowly, flopping onto his back dramatically with a huff. He let out a sharp breath as he rolled his eyes at Kairi who was cackling like a maniac at his reaction.

"Isn't this what people call  _ruining_  the moment?" He growled distastefully and glanced at Kairi who rolled to her side to look at him, a coy smile in her eyes.

She merely rose an eyebrow in response.

"Fine." He growled rolling his eyes, "But I  _refuse_  to acknowledge it in public." He spat.

Kairi started laughing throwing her arms up in victory as she laid on her back, "Fine!" She rolled back onto her side, a bit gingerly, "Does that mean I can call you some soppy nick name in private?"

He glared at her, "Not if you want to see your next birthday." She smiled wide at him in her playful way, "When is your birthday? I guess if you're my  _girlfriend_ ," He said stupidly and with utter annoyance, "Then I should know that."

"January 6th." She smiled.

Sherlock's eyes widened, "Oh."

Kairi looked at him suspiciously, "When's yours?"

He shifted uncomfortably, "It's the same day." He mumbled.

Kairi let out a guffaw of laughter, "Oh my, aren't we twinsies!" She said exaggeratedly.

"Oh shut up." He growled at her playfulness, rolling on top of her and kissing her just to keep her quiet.

* * *

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _**A/N** _
> 
> _**Liiiiitle bit of fluff here. Not gonna apologize about it because I think its good times. Plus smut...smutty smut smut smut smut...always good times.** _
> 
> _**More character building on the way, but don't dismay I have a VERY EXCITING two chapters that will be coming up...Two chapters I believe that you will love... ignore my mischievous laugh, MUHUHAHAHAHA** _
> 
> **_His Last Vow is tonight... Oh jesus i dont know what to do...Maybe we will have some extra sappy chapters just to make up for our devistation._ **
> 
> **_Two main things, thank you so much for the reviews. I have not gone back on my promise, I would love to do some side chapters - especially some of the progression I have coming up we shall be skipping some interesting times. I have over 10,000 views from Jan 1st...I can't believe it. Cant believe it at all. Thank you SO MUCH everyone. I always try to thank you personally in each comment, but so many of you have been with me since day one and I cant thank you enough for sticking around and reading with me. I haven't had too many specific requests for some side stories, but if there is anyone who has something in mind please let me know. I'm at 124 reviews, 109 Favs, and 177 Follows. Once one of those suckers reaches 200 I shall give you said side chapter. Could be fluff. Could be smut. Could be past or semi-present... ooooooooh the mystery._ **
> 
> **_Enjoy His Last Vow... I'm sure I will be w withering puddle of misery by tonight...I just want you to know that I'll be hugging you in spirit._ **
> 
> **_Much love my Holmesies!_ **


	30. -30-

Sherlock was most perturbed.

He spent most of his morning when not with Kairi, down at Scotland Yard interviewing the family and friends of the murder victim. Judging by the victim's file, these were the people who had the most likely reason to murder Daniel Barnes. He also went through the dead officer's arrest list and narrowed down suspects to only a few recently released criminals. He had interviewed them as well and it lead to nothing. Sherlock felt as if his mind were reeling.

The evidence was going nowhere and it was absolutely infuriating. People either had absolute alibis for the time of death or no evidence to indicate they had been the person to stab and maim and dismember the victim. Sherlock was irate at this point. The case was at a standstill and he had done everything in his investigative power to uncover any sliver of evidence that would indicate the contrary.

He had wasted his morning gabbing with useless individuals who had no importance to the case and it drove him mad. He was vibrating as he paced through the halls of Scotland Yard, shushing out the din around him and focusing on what he knew.

From his most recent bout of interviews and re-examination of the evidence he came to the conclusion that the victim was somehow incapacitated while being tied and staked to render him immobile. However, Molly's testing had revealed no known anesthetic or drug in his system. The body was clean of all trace evidence, not even a fiber, not a drop of spittle, nothing. It was driving Sherlock into delirium. The absolute efficiency and perfection that the recently dubbed Sandman had demonstrated was something that fascinated him. He re-watched the video in his mind, seeing Daniel Barnes struggle and gurgle against his captor's exercise in depravity, the murderer's hands moving fluidly, without hesitation. The movements were practiced, exact, and almost beautiful in their implementation. Sherlock had the realization that he must have done this before, he must have experience in surgery, but he was exhausting the idea of it being a medical professional. Any person with a relation to the victim who also had medical expertise were not on his list of suspects. To be honest, he had no list of suspects. The idea of someone new, of someone random and interesting tickled him in his own dark way.

There was something nagging at the back of his mind that was plaguing him, blocking him from seeing the full picture. The murderer was intelligent, crafty, able to disassemble a body with ease while also being able to manipulate a computer on a very similar plane of expertise to Kairi.

It bothered him most that he was being taunted and toyed with and left with almost nothing to grasp at. In the case of serial killers, which Sherlock had no doubt the Sandman would become, they always slipped up somehow, but it was usually not until they began to grow bored with their victims. The Sandman was only just starting.

On the other hand, Sherlock was giddy with the prospect of a new and exciting killer that was actually a challenge. He detested the boring domestics or the passion driven slaughters, because of money and greed. He wanted to be challenged again, he wanted to be surprised. The Sandman was proving to be most surprising, but Sherlock still felt a hint of distaste and disappointment. The explosion and the video still nagged him. There was something odd about the fact that The Sandman was trying to reach out to him and John.

He still wanted to believe it was Moran, toying with them, but Kairi had been correct in her assessment, Moran did not fit the evidence presented. The Sandman seemed to be pleased with the killing, reveling in the blood and gore. He wanted the challenge, he wanted to beat Sherlock just like everyone else failed to do. Moran, however, did everything for Kairi. This thought burned him to the core, but he focused his attentions back on The Sandman. Moran had been thankfully absent since the incident with the stuffed dog. Sherlock hoped he would stay that way.

"Oi!" Sherlock was brought out of his thoughts by Lestrade who was standing at the door of his office shouting and waving at him, "Get in here, now! You need to see this." Lestrade growled, seeming upset.

Sherlock rose an eyebrow, he didn't think that he had insulted anyone enough today to deserve a pitiful tongue lashing by Lestrade, but he went anyway. The facts of the case were dulling in his mind, feeling empty and without purpose. It was most unfortunate to have to wait for The Sandman to strike again, though, Sherlock knew that The Sandman would and Sherlock would be the one to outsmart him.

* * *

Kairi sighed deeply, stretching out as usual after a very productive night with Sherlock. The light shining into her room was late morning sunshine and she was almost ashamed to admit that her and Sherlock had gone to bed rather early yesterday and ended up staying in bed the whole night through, preoccupied with each other or sleeping.

She glanced to her side to find the consulting detective replaced by her favorite pet. His head was resting on the pillow and his eyes shot open and Kairi giggled at him as his tail began thumping against her bed. She screeched slightly when he rolled quickly over to her to lick at her face which she tried to hide in her own pillow. He nudged and poked her with his nose, licking at her arms and ears and whining at her.

"Ok! Ok!" She screeched and Appa relented, practically rolling himself off of the bed with a clatter and Kairi laughed at him as he ran around the bed to attack her side. "Alright! I'm getting up! We will go for a walk." He seemed elated by that, so he ran off to bolt around the house for a minute while Kairi stood up slowly and stretched her sore limbs, thoughts of being partially incinerated miles and miles away. She ran her fingers through her hair, a bit disgusted by just how knotted it had become during the night. Sherlock had seemed to be insatiable and it was the first time Kairi had ever had so much sex in such a short period of time. If she was being honest with herself, it was the first time she ever had sex more than one time in twenty-four hours.

She giggled girlishly at the thought, how her and Sherlock seemed to get along with one another. She had suffered through previous relationships, enjoying the idea of companionship, but always feeling very let down by her eventual lack of interest in her partners. She wasn't big into dating in the first place, being consumed by school or work or both at one point or another, but she had met some nice men who she felt attracted to. In the end it fizzled, much like most relationships did, but she had a penchant for becoming disinterested in their contact, physical or emotional. It had always felt so exhausting trying to relate to people who had no concept of hardship. She didn't hate them for it - not always anyways - but it was hard to be interested in mundane things that normal people tended to obsess over. She cared for work. She cared for her dog. She cared about learning. She didn't care much for most television. She absolutely abhorred common gossip, celebrity or not. She enjoyed her books and the few shows she watched which not many people seemed wholly interested in. No one could understand why such a small and seemingly innocent looking blonde could be so enthralled by such darkly themed media.

Perhaps that's what her eventual attraction to Sherlock stemmed from. He was so very different and interesting than any other men she had met. His brilliance was fascinating and he really could be quite funny when he wanted to, but mostly when he wasn't trying. She always learned something being around him and when he became larger than life and overwhelming, she found comfort in Molly the Coroner, Lestrade the Cop, and John the Soldier. They were exactly the type of people who Kairi needed to be around. Funny and happy and interesting, but they all had a depth to them that Kairi found comforting. She didn't feel embarrassed about her past or her wounds around them. They all carried theirs with pride and they inspired her to do the same.

Her attention was caught by something on her night stand and she reached out, picking up. It was an envelope made of very high quality card stock. She felt her breath hitch in her throat as she turned it over, but she instantly exhaled, relaxing completely, noticing the horribly messy scrawl of her favorite detective. She pulled the envelope open and pulled out a folded piece of paper, opening it to reveal a flattened flower and she smiled, sliding it gently into her hand and inspecting it. Kairi knew absolutely nothing about flowers, but the shape of it indicated that it was some sort of orchid. It was white and pink and had a golden yellow hue to its tips. She bent over and took a whiff, smiling at the gentle fragrance. She chuckled lightly and then looked at the paper where Sherlock had written her something.

_This is my attempt at sentiment. John said that women like flowers even though it seems a silly notion. This is a very, very rare Ghost Orchid. I have killed it for you. Mycroft would probably be furious if he found out, as it came from his personal garden._

Kairi let out a very loud laugh at that and she knelt down, pulling out a box from underneath her bed that contained some of her old photos that she couldn't bear to put around her home. She found a photo book, the kind with sticky sleeves that would help preserve photos and she took out the page and laid the flower inside of the sleeve to keep it flattened and protected. She slipped the letter on the opposite side, vowing to herself to keep Sherlock's little moments of sentiment perfectly for herself. That was one thing she hoped for from him and she greatly appreciated his effort in demonstrating his affection.

She placed the sleeve inside the drawer of her small table and went to go get herself dressed and ready for a walk with Appa. She had a few hours to kill before she would need to report to Mycroft. She would breach the interesting case that had developed, hoping that he wouldn't mind her assistance to his brother. She wanted to help her friends capture whoever was doing this. Thoughts of Sebastian Moran bubbled to the surface, fear gripping her chest slightly and she tried to calm her breathing, using techniques that Dr. Sherman had provided. She would deal with Sebastian Moran when it was time to deal with him, otherwise, she kept it locked away inside her mind. She had found it amusing when she realized that Sherlock had developed his mind palace based on Dr. Sherman's methodology.

She got dressed quickly, trying to keep the smile off of her lips thinking about the flower so graciously kidnapped and murdered for her. A snort escaped her, thinking that this was exactly the type of sentiment she wanted from Sherlock. He was no normal man and she was no normal woman. She didn't wish for anything to be different.

She plugged in her headphones and leashed Appa to her, preparing for a brisk walk to Regents Park, maybe she'd let Appa run around in the dog park. He needed some exercise and she was still working on rebuilding her health after her two-week stint as a recluse. Eating was still difficult, but at least her smoking habit had decreased slightly and she wasn't guzzling whiskey by the bottle each day.

She locked her flat and went to exit Baker Street with very loud music thumping into her ears, effectively hushing out the rest of the world. As she opened the door and looked forward she was absolutely appalled by the scene in front of her.

Someone reached up and yanked out her head phones as bright lights flashed all around her, accompanied by shouting, faceless voices all screaming at her at the same time.

_"Are you and Sherlock Holmes in a relationship?"_

_"Do you live in Baker Street with him?"_

_"Are you two shagging?"_

_"How long have you been shagging?"_

_"What's your name?"_

_"How did you meet?"_

Kairi's mouth dropped open staring at a huge throng of reporters flashing their cameras and she could do nothing else but flap her mouth open and shut as they flashed pictures of her standing in a pair of sweatpants and an off the shoulder sweatshirt from her old college back in the states. The questions did not relent despite Appa barking ferociously to keep the throng of photographers and reporters at bay.

_"What does Dr. Watson think of Sherlock's change in sexuality?"_

_"Do you guys share!?"_

_"How big is his-?"_

Kairi gasped, ready to lunge at someone and that's when she felt someone's hand grasp the back of her shirt and yank her backwards, back into Baker Street. She turned to see Mycroft hiding behind the door as he slammed it shut and the reporters' shouts began to lull.

"Good morning Ms. Aria." He stated, not sounding the least bit pleased.

Kairi was still staring at him, her mouth flapping open and shut in utter humiliation.

"It seems we need to have a discussion. Join us in Baker Street for tea." Mycroft turned and began walking up the stairs to 221B. Kairi silently followed, shaking like a leaf as she placed deliberate steps on the stairs to keep herself from tumbling down. She reached over and unclipped Appa and he trotted up the stairs happily, following Mycroft into Sherlock's flat.

When she finally reached the top level, she shuffled into 221B, still absolutely flabbergasted. She looked up and saw John sitting in his chair, an amused grin that he was desperately trying to hold back as he shook his head at the floor. Mycroft was standing in front of the mantle, glaring at a newspaper. Appa was curled around the feet of her now official  _boyfriend_  who sat in his chair, eyes closed, silently fuming, with fingers steepled beneath his nose.

"What in God's name is happening?" Kairi finally spat out.

John let out a quiet bit of laughter and Kairi shot him a glare but was shocked out of her fit of anger as Mycroft snapped the paper in his hands and then walked it over to Kairi and held it out for her to see.

She gasped, covering her mouth in horror as she looked at the front page and she read aloud, her voice cracking with repugnance, "Boffin Sherlock Holmes and his new  _Buxom Bird_!?" The large, front page photo was from the day before, when they walked with Appa to the Internet Cafe. It was a rare shot, Kairi looking down at her feet, smiling wide, but the most appalling thing was that Sherlock was looking down at her, a wide and loving smile on his face, seeming like he was adoring her. She looked up at Mycroft who seemed to be stewing with disappointment and then she looked to John who was trying to hold back laughter, "Quit laughing John!" Kairi screeched and he began to chuckle behind his hand, "Those reporters out there were asking if you and I  _shared_  him!" She shouted at him and he stopped chuckling in an instant, disgust written on his features. "Jesus, that picture wasn't anything! We were walking to the Internet cafe for the case!" Her eyes scanned the rest of the document, insinuations, guesses to her identity, and scathing remarks about her average body and looks. She felt her stomach drop and twist in on itself and her heart began beating furiously in her chest. "Oh dear god..." She shook her head and looked to Sherlock whose eyes were now open and staring at her, displeasure obvious on his features. "Oh Sherlock, I'm so sorry." She felt tears brimming in her eyes. She felt like an idiot, knowing well that Sherlock had no desire to make their relationship public, especially not to the general populace. "I don't know how this happened."

He stood slowly and walked over to her, stiff and stoic as he stood in front of her. Kairi dropped her head, feeling ashamed, feeling guilty and sad. The fear of losing Sherlock was sharp in her gut. She didn't want to disrupt his life, she didn't want to cause difficulty and now it seemed that's all that she ever did, get herself into trouble and pull people down with her.

She felt his hand rest underneath her chin and lift her face. She wanted to resist, but he nudged her with more force until her eyes met his steely blue ones. She bit her lip in nervousness and prepared herself for a scathing dismissal.

Sherlock smiled and it shocked her. His features were soft and kind as he looked down at her, the corner of his mouth lifting as he looked at her with clear eyes, "I don't believe this changes our arrangement."

Kairi gulped back her surprise, "You aren't upset with me?"

Sherlock shook his head, "No, not with you. With those depraved imbeciles? Of course. They've effectively put you in danger by publicizing your relationship with me and I will not rest until all of them have been repaid in full for their stupidity." He leaned forward and placed a full kiss on her lips. Kairi let herself get lost in the feeling of his lips against hers and his tongue gently lapping at her bottom lip until someone cleared their throat behind them.

"This is an unfortunate development Sherlock." Mycroft said with utmost distaste. Kairi pulled away from Sherlock and spared a glance at her boss who simply nodded at her, "I mean no disrespect Kairi, you have been -," He paused, choosing his words carefully, "Beneficial to my brother's temperament, however, the press does love to hate, brother mine. You two will need to be careful or make a statement."

Sherlock rolled his eyes as he turned away from Kairi to approach his brother in stiff disdain, "I do not have the slightest desire to let the public know of my private life. I rather enjoy their feeble attempts to understand me, their tiny minds do make such drastic leaps for alluring calumny. This will fade to the wayside just as everything else does. The general populace has the most abhorrent attention span, don't you agree?"

Mycroft nodded, "However, dear brother, you must realize that they will not stop until they've unearthed much of Kairi's past." He took this moment to glance at Kairi who was still standing, staring in disbelief at Mycroft. Sherlock took a moment to look behind him and notice the fear written on her features. He had no desire for her to be showcased the to the entire nation at an attempt to vilify him.

"Damn." Sherlock growled. He turned sharply and walked around Kairi who was still standing in shock, gripping the newsprint like a lifeline. He grabbed his jacket and threw it onto his shoulders with a flourish, "John, come along. I can't be seen without my precious bachelor." He smirked and John cursed at Sherlock as he followed.

Sherlock stomped down the stairs, tying his scarf in his deliberate manner and popping up his collar. He stopped at the door when John put a hand to it. "What will you do?" John asked and Sherlock sighed.

He glared at John, "I will tell them the truth." John opened his mouth to protest but Sherlock stopped him, "I will tell them the  _relevant_  truth." John sighed in relief as Sherlock threw open the doors to Baker Street to be met with shouts and flashing lights. He put up a hand and the reporters went silent as he glared at each and every one of them. They all desired to get juicy tid-bits on Sherlock Holmes, but they also knew what he could do to someone who slandered his name. None of them ever dared to mention Kitty Riley in public anymore.

"It has come to my attention that there have been assumptions to my personal life." Sherlock began with his most dangerous tone, "My work  _is_  my personal life, my  _only_  devotion. The woman I am pictured with is assisting on a case and that is all you need to know of her and her involvement. If you have further questions about the case you may direct yourselves to Detective Inspector Lestrade at Scotland Yard. There is nothing more that needs to be said." He growled and the press had the decency to look a little scared. One reporter went to open his mouth and Sherlock shot him a glare that shut him up, "Good day." He nodded and him and John turned on their heels and went back into Baker Street with Sherlock fuming. He was happy to see the press had learned their lesson in tangling with him, at least for now.

When he got back up to Baker Street, Kairi was sitting in his chair, slouching and looking exhausted already. She was sipping on some tea that Mycroft had prepared for her. Sherlock lifted his eyebrows at Mycroft who gave him a withering look. Sherlock only smirked as he walked into the kitchen to grab some for himself. He noticed it was Mycroft's preferred blend, one that he hated on principle, but he knew it to be of great quality. He found it amusing that Kairi enjoyed Mycroft's tea and that Mycroft had actually made her some.

He felt his phone begin to vibrate and he pulled it out, staring at the screen and seeing a name that made his blood run cold. He silenced the phone and shoved it back in his pocket, ignoring the dread that curled within his gut. He grabbed a cup and saucer and began to pour his tea until he heard something in the other room that made him blanche.

Mycroft picked up his phone, "Yes." He stated simply and glanced down at Kairi only for a moment.

She looked back up at him nervously, wondering if she'd be tanked for this debacle. He gave her a small, pained smile and continued his conversation ignoring her.

"Yes of course." He replied into the receiver.

Kairi watched as Sherlock came from the kitchen, gripping his tea cup as he glared at his brother.

"Well that may be difficult, but I'm sure we can arrange something." Mycroft smiled evilly at his brother and Sherlock scowled at him. "Yes of course." He paused now, looking slightly uncomfortable, "Yes, erm, its reciprocated." He said quietly and then hung up.

"Who was it?" Sherlock was breathing heavily, anger obvious in his words and features. Kairi felt her heart beating furiously. What could have happened to make things so dramatically fucked up? Sherlock looked furious and Mycroft looked mischievous. If Mycroft deigned to show any emotion, it was always something to be wary about.

"I just received the most interesting phone call." Mycroft smiled and then turned to Kairi with a wide grin on his lips, "Good news Kairi."

Kairi looked up at him, terror threatening all of her features, "Yes?"

Mycroft glanced back at Sherlock, a wry smile on his lips, "You've been invited to Christmas."

Kairi's eyes widened, "What's Christmas? Is it code for exile? Am I supposed to go back to the states? Are you going to throw me in a trunk with a black hood and kill me?"

Mycroft let out a chuckle at that as Sherlock groaned, "No dear," He smiled again at his brother, "Mummy is so  _very_  interested in meeting Sherlock's only  _girlfriend_."

"What?" Kairi murmured, her heart in her throat, threatening to burst out of her mouth. "I'm sorry, mummy?"

Sherlock kicked at John's chair which caused John to flinch violently as he snickered. "Damn you!" Sherlock shouted at Mycroft.

"Mummy?" Kairi repeated, looking at Sherlock this time as he paced, going between glaring at his brother and ruffling his hands through his unruly hair.

"Yes, mummy," Sherlock snarled, "Our mother and presumably, father as well."

Kairi's eyes widened, "Oh." She gulped back her tension, "We only just decided that we were going to be -," She paused, receiving a glare from Sherlock, "And they already want to meet me?"

Mycroft let out a titter, "Oh yes. Its most amusing to see such a development in Sherlock's life. Mummy will be most pleased that our dear Sherlock has developed sentiment for a woman." He couldn't hold back his smiles now and it was starting to scare Kairi just how much Mycroft enjoyed seeing his brother suffer, "Though I'm sure mummy would have been pleased if Sherlock did in fact, bring home Dr. Watson."

"Oi! I'm not gay!" John let out in a frustrated growl and Kairi couldn't help but laugh, trying to keep her horror at bay. The woman who raised Mycroft and Sherlock Holmes and helped them become the most infamous and brilliant men of their time wanted to meet  _her_. There was no way she was good enough for Sherlock Holmes, no way his mother would approve. Perhaps that's why he was so dismayed.

She sighed, trying to keep her anxiety from creeping into her tone, "Well, I guess if we've got Christmas with your family, its customary for us to spend Thanksgiving with mine." Sherlock looked at her, his eyes wide with what looked like fear, "What? I've already promised to visit them. You may as well come." She grumbled as his face fell in disappointment. "You have to admit my sister is much more tolerable than your brother." She winked at Mycroft, who for the first time in his life, let out a genuine bark of laughter at his brother's expense.

* * *

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _**A/N** _
> 
> _**Well I watched His Last Vow last night and I am absolutely thrilled by it. I cant wait until everyone has seen it and the world explodes in happiness...** _
> 
> _**I will say my plot for the rest of this was created without season 3 in mind. Now that season 3 is over, I am surprised to admit there may be some plot/character development that will be in line with canon. I have also taken some of whats occurred in season 3 to make my story more in line with characters and behaviors. I just don't want you think I'm trying to steal directly from the show since I do enjoy creating unique story lines. However, its obvious that I want to keep it as cannon as possible while still technically being AU. Molly and John will continue their relationship, because I like it (even though Mary/John is absolute perfection); Sherlock's parents will be more in line with cannon now (even though that was technically my plan and I swear to God Moffat as been reading my mind and stealing my ideas ;)); and I'll admit it now that The Sandman will not be returning for the rest of this story.** _
> 
> _**I have a sequel in mind for Kailock (Elianna1031 gets credit for that!), this story will probably have between 5 and 10 more chapters before we see the end, but I got inspired and now the sequel is just stewing in my mind.** _
> 
> _**We are painfully close to 200... I'll give you an option since I will be skipping some time for the next chapter. We can either go into the past and delve into Sherlock and Kairi Start Cooking or there will be a secret Halloween Chapter. Please leave comments or PMs about which one you would like. Once we hit 200, I'll get it started and post it!** _
> 
> _**Much love my Holmies...** _


	31. -31-

The clamoring for Sherlock's personal life eventually died down. Kairi and Sherlock were careful in their relationship. Sherlock was never one to participate in public displays of affection, but he had to admit it irked him slightly that he could not touch Kairi whenever he pleased. The next month or so progressed without incident. The Sandman did not commit another murder and so the police and therefore Sherlock were left with much less interesting cases to pass the time. Over the month Sherlock had solved three rather high-profile cases. There was the amusing and petite jewel thief who tried to kill John and Sherlock, dubbed the Poison Giant by John's tedious blog. The next was one for Mycroft which they couldn't talk about even if they begged, there was, obviously, an attempt on John and Sherlock's life. The last one, which John could not get over and Kairi practically revelled in was the case of the inexplicable matchbox. Sherlock had to dress up like a clown. No pictures were allowed to be taken but that didn't stop Kairi from sneaking one in. She kept it as the welcome screen on her desktop at work. It was so ridiculous that no one would ever believe Sherlock Holmes would be dressed as a clown. It was the perfect crime and she got to look at it every day.

Kairi had spent almost all of her time with Mycroft, digging into security and strengthening their systems. It was surprising just how often she needed to do that, but as the protector of the free world's secrets, there was always someone, somewhere trying to gain favor or collateral over the government. She had met many high-profile people; people of the government, people important to the government, people who struck fear into the government's heart. Those were the ones that creeped her out the most and she wasn't sure why Mycroft had been interested in her handling those cases.

She was hesitant to admit that Mycroft was almost pleasant to be around. 98% of the time he was silent, his mind moving a thousand miles a second, taking in everything, understanding everything. She wasn't sure who was smarter to be truly honest, Mycroft or Sherlock. She believed they both had their strengths and weaknesses. She didn't believe either of them were true psychopaths. Especially since psychopaths and sociopaths are practically the same thing under different names. They were both charming, manipulative, and entitled. They shared many common traits with the DSM-V classification, but there was always something that permeated their behaviors that made them a hair off of psychopathy. They cared and they cared greatly. Though they showed little to no emotion and did whatever they pleased, Mycroft cared for his brother and Sherlock Holmes cared for John and his people (he cares for Mycroft too, but would never admit it). They still tended to act without consideration for others, with little to no remorse, but there was always the tiniest flash of regret in their eyes when they did something that truly hurt a person they cared for. They were surprisingly intuitive, practical chess masters in the game of life, knowing what actions would evoke the most intense responses. They were interesting men to be around and it kept Kairi as busy as possible.

Kairi and Sherlock tried to spend some nights together when Sherlock wasn't traipsing all around London getting into trouble. She was surprised by his warmth in private, another obvious reason he was not in fact a sociopath, as he so lovingly declared he was. Most people would consider this some sort of slight, him only showing his modest affection in private, but she knew him. She knew that he cared for her in his adorable attempts at sentiment. He was always direct, frustratingly straight forward, lied continuously, but not always about things that mattered. She was able to look him in the eye, ask for the truth, and more likely than not, she would get it.

More recently, he had been trying to lie his way out of going to Thanksgiving and was willing to skin someone alive to get out Christmas, but Kairi held strong and John and Molly were helpful. Lestrade was less so of course, when he found out about their "official" relationship and eventually about their domesticity with holiday plans and all, he was relentless with his jabs at Sherlock. Sherlock was determined to hack away at Lestrade with cold and calculating precision, but Kairi had told him that he deserved some level of teasing for always being such a cock to everyone. He didn't like that one bit.

Kairi woke to the pleasant tingle of fingertips grazing her breast, she gasped softly, her eyes shooting open at the sensation that almost seemed like a distant memory. It was Thanksgiving today and they were in California, nestled comfortably under the sheets of a twin-sized bed belonging to her niece. Kairi hissed softly, feeling Sherlock's fingertips pinch and roll a nipple between them. She let herself revel in the feeling for a moment, Sherlock's erection pressing into her backside but then she gasped, realizing Sherlock wasn't supposed to be in this bed at all. Not with the pink muppet adorning the blanket.

She swatted his hand away and rolled, coming face to face with a grinning detective whose eyes were peacefully closed. "You aren't supposed to be here. You're supposed to be on the couch."

His grin changed sharply into a frown, his eyes opening wide and focusing his glare on Kairi, "I don't see why. This bed is big enough for two."

Kairi scowled back at him, "It is not and it also belongs to a five-year old."

His hand snaked out and fanned against the skin of her stomach, pushing itself beneath her tank top, "I don't see why that's relevant."

She pinched his tricep, emitting a hiss from his displeased features, "Because I refuse to let you get off in my niece's bed. That is deplorable!" She whispered harshly.

His frown deepened and he rolled onto his back, "I don't like wearing clothes to sleep."

"Tough shit, you aren't allowed to even pretend you get naked in my sister's house. You especially aren't allowed to fondle me, especially in my niece's bed. Now I feel horrible. Get away." She growled tiredly, pushing him further away on the bed. She looked over her shoulder at the rest of the room and felt confused, "Where's Appa?"

"Hm?" Sherlock intoned, seeming disinterested, "I locked him out last night when I snuck in. I heard him go into the other child's room. Presumably sulking in to sleep with them." He let a small smile creep onto his features.

Kairi rolled onto her side to face him, "God, you are devious. Sneaking into a girl's bedroom in the middle of the night, averting her personal security. You must have been hell as a teenager." Sherlock's smile widened and Kairi chuckled. She rolled back over and grabbed her phone, it was close to six o'clock in the morning and Kairi groaned, "Why did you wake me up? It's so early!"

Before she rolled back over, Sherlock wrapped her up in his arms, pulling her close and nipping at her neck. She let out a small squeak and tried to push him away. He allowed her to but not without a frustrated groan. "I don't understand why we couldn't have gone to a hotel."

Kairi rolled off of the bed and padded over to wrap herself up in one of Heather's extra robes. Sherlock couldn't help but watch her hips roll, donned in a pair of short-like underwear that let the round cheeks of her bottom peek out beneath the material. He very much enjoyed the way they formed to her, but the pleasure was short-lived as she threw the robe around her and cinched it tight. He frowned at her.

"We couldn't get a hotel because  _someone_  didn't want to come and so I assumed I'd be making this trip alone. When that someone refused to be here longer than two nights, it was too late to book an open room nearby. Holidays are a testy time for traveling Sherlock, I tried to tell you, but you were being a prat about it. I was honestly expecting to come alone until you met me at the airport with a packed bag. So don't get mad at me when you were the one who refused to make plans." She growled at him and he flopped onto the bed, sexually frustrated and annoyed.

"Holidays are tedious." He snapped at her and he shot her a glance and she looked annoyed. He sat up, wearing a t-shirt and his pajama bottoms, "I dislike having to pretend to care about such things."

Kairi rolled her eyes, "No one is asking you to pretend. Its family. It's always tedious. It's always a bit annoying." She noticed his dressing gown hanging over the back of a small orange chair nestled by Danni's art table. She grabbed it and threw it at him, "Heather knows what you are like, you don't have to pretend. Maybe, just maybe, filter it around the kids if you can manage, but you don't have to be someone you aren't. Heather approves of you - maybe not so much the whole almost getting me exploded thing - but she likes you." He stood slowly, inspecting her closely as he slid on his royal blue dressing gown, "Just be you Sherlock. It's why I like you. I don't want you to pretend to be someone else. That's exhausting. Be quiet and morose, be talkative and odd, I don't care, neither do Heather and Adam. They've met you before, we've talked about you -,"

"You talk about me to them?" He sounded perturbed by that.

Kairi looked at him oddly, "Of course I've told them about you. I love you and they love me. As strange as it sounds, most siblings don't plot each other's ultimate demise. Sometimes they genuinely care for one another and want to know what is happening in each other's lives."

Sherlock's face twisted into disgust, "That sounds awful."

Kairi laughed at him then and sighed, "Come on, let's go get coffee started. I've got some things to prep for Thanksgiving anyways."

"And then we can have a cigarette?" Sherlock looked at her pleadingly.

Kairi nodded, "Yes if you behave I'll reward you with a cigarette." Sherlock smirked at that.

They made their way into the barely brightening kitchen and Kairi started up a very large pot of coffee. She glanced at Sherlock who was gazing around the kitchen, ticking away at different points of interest, gathering information.

Kairi smiled at him, always working, always thinking. He sat at the bar in the kitchen while Kairi walked over to the pull out bed and began to remake it, cleaning it up and shoving back into the sofa. Sherlock had elected to take it because it was less comfortable than her niece's bed and he rarely slept anyway, especially without Kairi in his arms or being provided with an intense orgasm to ease him into sleep. It had been a few busy days and they hadn't had time for each other before he met her at the airport. The smile on her face when she saw him was well worth the idiocy of holidays with the family. Or at least he had thought so.

He watched her closely, flitting around the kitchen and preparing things for when Heather would wake up and they'd start on the rest of the meal. Their arrival yesterday was punctuated by Kairi and Heather starting on some of the side dishes. Some sort of orange mush in a decorative ceramic dish was prepared with walnuts and cinnamon and vanilla. Kairi helped her sister make pies, pumpkin from scratch and a pecan pie that was made from a box and a tin with some instructions. The last one was a vegetable dish that was simple to assemble. All items were now in the fridge, setting over night or marinating. Kairi pulled out the turkey, thawed and ready to go and he watched her as she pulled out all of the necessary ingredients to prep the gigantic slab of meat. There were only six of them, technically five that would actually be eating. Sherlock enjoyed nibbling on food that Kairi prepared, but it was seldom that he felt like eating a full meal. He had essentially been starving since he had been on a case for the last week so he was prepared to eat a little something to keep him functioning and appease the family. The idea of a large family focused dinner with companionable chatter and sitting made him slightly queasy. Though he remembered the BBQ that he was present for the last time he was in California, it wasn't horrible as he remembered it, but it was different and that made him uneasy.

Kairi was humming along, dolling out coffee for herself and Sherlock. She mixed in his two sugars, she had a way of making his coffee taste better than when he made it himself. She handed it to him with a soft kiss on his cheek and he tried to hide the smile fighting for purchase on his lips.

With the oven pre-heating and things set out Kairi grabbed her cup and tapped Sherlock on the shoulder as he sipped his coffee. They made their way outside, around the house to sit on some chairs in the corner meant to be their smoking station.

"So..." Sherlock started awkwardly as Kairi placed two cigarettes between her lips and lit them both, exhaling and handing on off to Sherlock. He took it between his lips, reveling in the sweet taste of her tongue on the filter and exhaled deeply, "How is...Heather?"

Kairi smiled, "You weren't listening at all last night were you?"

Sherlock looked appalled, "Why would I listen to your mindless chatter? Nothing of interest for me."

Kairi chuckled, "Then why are you asking?"

Sherlock frowned, "Because you would have started re-telling me anyway." He sighed dramatically.

Kairi rolled her eyes, "No I wasn't, I actually expected you to listen. Silly me." She smiled at him and he twitched his lip at her. "Things are going well. But since you asked, Heather is back at work and thriving. The girls are doing splendid, excelling in school and enjoying their extracurriculars. Adam might be made partner of his firm, he's been doing well and he's got a great reputation. Things are going swimmingly for the Garfield household."

"Garfield?" Sherlock asked, sounded horrified.

Kairi chuckled, "Yes, Garfield, its Adam's last name."

Sherlock frowned, "Oh."

Kairi smiled, "Were you expecting something else?"

Sherlock shook his head, "No, I just find it odd that your sister, a young professional and quite progressive in her beliefs would have taken her husband's name. Not very feminist."

Kairi rolled her eyes at him, "Equality is feminism. So is respecting a woman's choice. She wanted to take his last name and he wanted to give it to her."

Sherlock glanced at her, "Is that something you would do? Take on your husband's last name?"

Kairi flashed him an odd look, "If I ever get a husband I might. If he had a cool last name, especially. Like Skywalker or Bond." Kairi shot him a look, smiling and Sherlock stared at her clueless, "Oh come off it, Skywalker?  _Star Wars?_ " A blank stare was her only response and she gave him an exasperated sigh, "God, please tell me you know Bond. You're British, if you don't know James Bond you should be exiled."

Sherlock rolled his eyes, "Of course I know James Bond. My father was a fan." He said with disgust.

"Well that's one thing we had in common, my father was too. I've read all the books." She inhaled on her cigarette and Sherlock watched her lips curve around the filter, plump and inviting. He felt something broil in his gut and he began to seethe, the implication that sex was completely off the table left him upset. "Stop looking at me like that."

Sherlock scowled, "Like what?"

Kairi chuckled, "Like you're undressing me with your eyes-,"

"I'd rather be undressing you with my hands, why would I use my eyes-,"

"It's an expression you twit." She smiled, reached over and patted his hand, "I don't think you'd be comfortable with us shagging in your family home, would you?" His eyes slid over to her and there was a grin on his lips, "Oh you're intolerable." She hissed and slapped his leg lightly.

He chuckled, "I'm sure it would make everyone most uncomfortable." He said with a grim sense of pleasure.

Kairi shook her head, "Nope, absolutely not. Never. You aren't shagging me within 10 miles of your mother." Sherlock scowled at that. "I don't plan on letting you touch me while we are there. At all."

Sherlock's scowl deepened, "Well what the hell is the point of going? We are supposed to be proving that we are, in fact, in a relationship," He muttered distastefully, "How am I expected to prove that you and I are sexually compatible and companionable if I am not allowed to touch you?"

Kairi scoffed, "God, Sherlock! There is  _no_  way we are having sex near your family. I don't need all of the Holmses hearing me getting off."

Sherlock grinned, "You could learn to be quiet."

Kairi scowled at him, "You'd hate that and you know it." Sherlock nodded, acknowledging truth in that statement. "It's not happening."

"Well if you insist on ruining Christmas..." Sherlock intoned, taking his last inhale of a cigarette and rubbing it out on the cement beneath him. Kairi laughed at him, putting out her own cigarette.

"Well I assume the household will be getting ready by now. I need to go in a start prepping the bird." She stood slowly and stretched and Sherlock closed in on her, sweeping her into his arms and pulling her into a ravishing kiss. His hand snaked beneath her robe, letting his finger trail between her thighs, gently pushing aside her underwear and pressing against her opening. She gasped against his mouth, gripping the lapels of his robe and holding him closer. "Sherlock!" She moaned as his finger toyed with her, effectively shielded from view by their position.

"I haven't had the pleasure of feeling you or tasting your for some time now." He groaned against her mouth and Kairi shivered, "It's becoming tiresome."

She bit his bottom lip sharply, just hard enough to sting and she reached down and rubbed him on the outside of his pajama pants which were painfully thin. Sherlock growled in the back of his throat, curling his finger inside of her with an almost frantic need.

"I'm not the only one who can be tortured Sherlock." She rasped against his lips as her hands brushed against his testicles and he took in a sharp breath. She pulled back sharply, distancing herself from the lascivious detective, "You're making it harder on yourself." She smiled wild and the point of her tongue perched against her canine in an alluring and frustrating manner.

"That was an atrocious attempt at humor." He spat and went to grab her again but she shrieked and turned out of his grasp, trotting back to the entrance of her sister's home with him following closely behind an amused glint to his eye.

They got inside and Heather was already in the kitchen, she turned, smiling at Kairi and Sherlock who went from pleasant looking to stony in an instant. "Morning." Heather nodded and Kairi smiled. "Bless you for making coffee you beautiful woman."

Kairi winked at her sister and went to wash her hands in the sink. Heather was already starting on chopping vegetables and fixings for the turkey and stuffing. Kairi joined her, cutting up apples and celery and Sherlock watched them.

The sisters moved in concert, their recently assuaged estrangement didn't seem to affect how they fed off one another. It was obvious that they had done this before, moving in synch and delegating roles without words. He found it amusing, their efficiency in chopping vegetables and arranging plates.

He was most amused by Kairi's finesse with handling the very large uncooked bird. She wasn't hesitant or disgusted by ripping out the innards and cleaning it all up. She patted it dry while chatting with her sister, sharing exploits and adventures of the children and Sherlock, respectively. He sat back and listened, watching as Kairi deftly loosened the skin of the turkey, rubbing in salt and butter and other herbs in gracious amounts between the meat and skin. Heather moved beside her, chopping up onions and celery and placing them all on the bottom of the roasting pan for the turkey.

"Why do you do that?" Sherlock finally asked, watching Kairi and Heather pick up the heavy bird and turn it upside down.

"Face it breast-side down?" Heather confirmed and Sherlock nodded.

"Gravity, Sherlock." Kairi smiled and Sherlock looked confused for a moment, "It's easier and more efficient than basting."

Sherlock nodded in understanding, "Ah, I see. The juices drip down to the breast, making it more tender and moist."

Kairi nodded, "Then we flip it about an hour before its done. That way the skin will brown." She looked to her sister who laughed, "That's always the awkward part. Mom and dad used to fuss with it," Kairi chuckled, the fond memory causing a sharp pain in her chest, but she let it subside, "Every year they almost dropped the damn thing."

"That may have been my favorite part of preparing Thanksgiving." Heather chuckled as they finished up preparation and they heard the rumblings of tiny feet and claws on the stairs.

The children came rushing down with Appa in tow, rumpled and disjointed from a full night of sleep, "Awwww! We wanted to help!" Julie whined. Appa passed by Sherlock, seemingly glaring at him as he made his way over to Kairi to poke her with his nose. Danni ran straight over to the barstool next to Sherlock and climbed up, staring at him without hesitation.

They glared at each other for a few minutes in silence while Kairi and Heather got the bird in the oven.

"You'll be able to help with the rest. The pecan pie needs to be warmed. Crescent rolls need to be cooked as well as the stuffing. The turkey is the worst part, so you'll help with the rest." Heather smiled to her adorable child as she washed her hands again.

"Don't forget the cranberry sauce." Julie stated with authority and Kairi couldn't help but smile.

"Oh god, look at your hair. We need to get you two tamed." Heather pointed at Julie and Danni. Danni was still having a staring contest with Sherlock who finally blinked.

"Ha!" Danni shouted, making everyone jump and Sherlock stared at her with confusion. "You blinked first. I'm the best at not blinking."

Sherlock rose a displeased eyebrow, "I wasn't aware we were competing." He spat, most displeased and glared at the grinning child. He closed his eyes for a moment, taking a deep breath. He instantly bent over, coming face to face with Danni, "Again." He growled.

Danni laughed and obliged him. He found the child amusing. She was smart, keeping her eyes open and only slightly closing them to moisten them without actually blinking. Sherlock smirked as she glared at him, their eyes straining in battle with stiff perseverance. He felt his eyes twitch and she smiled at him, grinning. Very quickly and unexpectedly she blew a quick breath into his face, causing him to flinch as his eyes shut. He sat up, rubbing against the uncomfortable sensation and he growled.

"VICTORY!" She screeched raising her arms in joy as everyone laughed and Sherlock rubbed his eyes.

He glared at her, "You cheated." Her only response was a large smile.

"You smell like smoke. Do you smoke?" She gave him a quizzical look.

"Yes, occasionally." Sherlock admitted.

Danni scrunched up her face, "Why? It's bad for you."

Sherlock shrugged, "Of course its bad for you but I'm addicted to it. Nicotine activates the cholinergic pathways activating my brain and body and stimulating my thoughts. This also increases the release of dopamine in my system which activates reward pathways in the brain. Nicotine also stimulates the release of another neurotransmitter, glutamate which enhances the connections between sets of neurons, increasing my memory function. Its believed that glutamate creates a memory loop of pleasant feelings which further drives my desire to use nicotine. The brain makes more endorphins in response to nicotine, the body's natural painkiller. The chemical structure of endorphins is very similar to that of heavy-duty synthetic painkillers like morphine. I like morphine too but its use is frowned upon. Endorphins can lead to feelings of euphoria, and may explain nicotine's psychoactive and rewarding effects. I like it, as does-," He glanced to Kairi who shook her head pleadingly, "Other people."

Danni's eyes were wide as saucers, "Whoa. Cool!"

Sherlock grinned and then looked at Kairi who had her hand over her face and then to Heather who looked furious.

"Erm," Sherlock shifted uncomfortably, "But it makes you cough and smell bad. Don't do it." He glanced at the child who was staring at him oddly, "Or at least wait until your old enough to purchase -,"

"Sherlock!" Heather tried not to shout, a smile plastered to her face in desperation, "Danni and Julie, would you like some hot chocolate?" They both shouted in glee and instantly forgot about cigarettes and neurotransmitters. Danni leapt from her seat and ran behind the counter to help her mother prepare two cups. Heather shot Sherlock a dark look while Kairi walked over to him and placed a hand on his shoulder, patting it patronizingly.

"Not good?" Sherlock looked at Kairi who was trying to hide her smile.

She shook her head, "Yeah, a bit not good."

Sherlock shrugged and sipped the remainder of his coffee, unaffected. Now Julie came over to him and sat in Danni's place, looking him up and down.

"That's a girly robe." Julie admitted.

Sherlock rose an eyebrow behind his coffee mug. "There's nothing girly about it. It's a robe. Your aunt wears a robe, your father and mother do as well. Wearing clothes should not be considered a male or female habit, we all wear clothes, it doesn't matter what they look like. It matters what the person likes."

Julie nodded her head, "It's still very pretty." She reached out and touched his sleeve, "It's all soft and silky and its a pretty color."

Sherlock nodded, "See? Blue is inherently defined as a male color but yet females like it." He sipped his coffee and looked down at the girl who was staring at him, "It's important to like what you like and not let the opinions of other's affect you too much." His eyes glanced to Heather and Kairi who sighed, looking tense, "But you must, uh, respect others opinions as well?" He looked at Kairi who nodded graciously and tried to stifle her chuckle at Sherlock's attempt to remain in the good graces of her sister.

"Yeah, I like blue. I also like sports. Those are supposed to be boy things but I don't care." Julie added defiantly and then looked up at Sherlock smiling, "I'm good at sports. Do you like sports?"

Sherlock grimaced, "Not especially."

Julie frowned, "Why not? Are you not very good at them?"

Kairi shuffled around the kitchen, chuckling lightly. Sherlock looked down his nose at the child, he wasn't sure he liked this one as much as the other one, "I'm very good at sports. My coordination is exceptional. I am not, however, what they call, a team player."

Julie nodded, "Oh I get it." She muttered knowingly and Sherlock scowled at her.

"What do you get?" He replied.

Julie shrugged, "You don't like to share."

He looked at her appreciatively and nodded, his eyes glancing to Kairi in a salacious way and she blushed, averting her gaze, "Yes, that's a very accurate description." His voice was low and sensuous and Heather glared at him. He cleared his throat quickly and looked back at the girl in front of him who was oblivious to his tone. "I have found pathways in my life where I excel and have devoted my time to them."

Julie nodded, "I like cheerleading. My mom let me try out a few months ago after we met you. We talked about it and she let me try it. I'm good at it."

Sherlock nodded, confused at her segue, "Very well."

"I'm good at painting!" Danni added from across the kitchen, stirring something for her mother.

"Ok." Sherlock replied to the vivacious kindergardener.

"Would you like to see?" Danni smiled as she hopped from her stool and ran over to him.

"Erm..." Sherlock began.

"Come on!" Danni squealed and gripped his hand and tugged at him. He was unsure how to respond so he remained still and unmoving. "God you're heavy!" Danni rasped, yanking on him with all of her childish might.

"Julie, Danni," Heather smiled, "Let's go get ready for the day. I need to take care of your ridiculous hair."

Danni turned with a scowl, "Your hair is ridiculous!" She growled at her mother who responded with a deathly stare that made the girl straighten and release Sherlock's arm, "Sorry mommy." She sounded dejected.

"Its fine, but leave the sass at the door." Heather spat and clapped her hands, "Come on, let's leave Kairi and Sherlock to get their day started."

Kairi smiled at her sister a little painfully. She was thankful that Heather was so forgiving. She was forgiving towards Kairi and she was willing to be forgiving towards Sherlock, at least for a while it seemed.

"That was..." Kairi began and looked to Sherlock who was playing on his phone, he paused to listen to her, "Pretty good." She smiled at him and he nodded.

"Children shouldn't be treated any differently. They are, in fact, just tiny adults." Sherlock glanced to Kairi who smiled at him.

"Sherlock Holmes." She smiled wide, sounding astonished, "Who would have guessed it? You like children."

Sherlock scowled at her, "I do not  _like_  children." He spat and Kairi pursed her lips to halt her grin, "I just find them less atrocious than adults. At least they have a more expansive form of thought and are decidedly open-minded. But just like all humans some of them are idiots and not much can be expected." He growled and then went back to his phone and Kairi stared at him expectantly and he sighed, "Your nieces are mildly tolerable."

Kairi chuckled and walked around to him, letting her hand trace over his shoulders as she came to stop in front of him. Her hands rested lightly on his knees and she pushed them apart slowly, moving closer as her hands moved up his thighs, coming to rest dangerously close to his groin, "I'm off to shower, would you like to join me?" She said seductively, leaning in with each word until her lips brushed his.

"Yes, I would." He smiled and leaned forward, trying to catch her lips in a kiss but she pushed off him with a grin.

"Too bad!" She smiled and turned to walk away.

Sherlock growled, deep in his chest, "That is a most cruel behavior. I do dislike you at the moment." He glared at her.

Kairi peeked over her shoulder, smiling wide at the detective, "I happen to like me very much right now." She winked at him, fuming in his chair, "I left the cigarettes outside. I'm sure you'll need one."

* * *

They gathered at the table, set by the girls and Adam as Kairi and Heather finished up in the kitchen. The turkey looked perfect and all of the sides were set with serving spoons. The table was decorated with children's artwork, turkeys made of hands, feathers crudely cut from construction paper, and painted pumpkins that ranged from dreadful to mildly artistic. Sherlock inspected each piece as he walked around the table, admiring the work of the children. He was surprised to feel a sense of approval, possibly even happiness, as he watched the family drift around each other in a sort of chaotic symbiosis while preparing for dinner.

He admired Kairi and how she interacted with her family, a sense of levity that he did not see from her in London. She seemed different here and he wondered which place was the more abundant ruse. She seemed happy in both places, but he knew London felt like home to her. A small flicker of pleased victory burned in his chest, happy to know that she was his and only his.

"Sherlock would you like a drink?" Adam called out from the kitchen as the women shooed him around and out of their way.

"Yes?" He replied unsure and Kairi glanced at him, smirking.

"I've got some very good scotch. Lagavulin!" He smiled wide and Sherlock nodded appreciatively. It was a very good scotch. He nodded to Adam who handed him a small tumbler with two fingers of scotch. He motioned for Sherlock to follow him as they sat in the lounge only a few steps away from the dinning room attached to the kitchen.

Sherlock observed Adam, smiling and gazing at his wife and children who were finishing up dinner preparations. He followed his gaze, trying to comprehend the look in his eye and the emotions he must be feeling: pride, joy, slight sexual arousal by the diameter of his pupils. Sherlock gazed at the family flitting around and he could not conjure up similar feelings for the scene.

He looked at Kairi who donned a very simple black dress. It had a modest yet lower neck line, exposing her collar bones, which he knew she liked because of her sensitive neck, and a high waist that accentuated her bust. Her arms were slim and bare and he very much wanted to reach out and touch her. He watched as she followed her sister and her children, adjusting the settings, clearing room for the main course.

"I know that look." Adam said quietly, sipping his scotch and breaking Sherlock out of his reverie.

"I'm sorry?" Sherlock replied, glancing at Adam who looked amused.

"That look." Adam smiled, "Its how I look at Heather."

Sherlock shook his head and sipped the scotch, enjoying the familiar scent, the sharp taste against his tongue as it warmly rolled down his throat and into his stomach, "I'm not sure I understand your meaning."

"No of course not." Adam said in a pedantic manner and Sherlock scowled at him, "It's not as if you love her or anything." He added sarcastically.

Sherlock frowned, "I am not capable of love. Kairi understands that."

Adam nodded, "I'm sure she does. I know she understands you, adores you by the way she talks about you." He sipped his scotch again and Sherlock became curious. "She's crazy about you."

Sherlock nodded, "Yes, that's come to my attention."

Adam nodded, "We've never met one of her boyfriends, the few and far between. They've never really been around long enough." He looked at Sherlock.

Sherlock took another sip of scotch, "Is this when you threaten me with pain and death if I wrong her?"

Adam laughed, "Oh God no. I'm not getting into that mess." He shook his head and Sherlock grinned slightly, "No, that's not my job. Plus, I'm not the ones you have to worry about." He nodded towards the table and Sherlock followed his gaze to see Heather carving the turkey with a large knife.

Sherlock smiled, "I assume she wouldn't bother with a warning."

Adam chuckled, "Not in the least. It will be swift vengeance." Adam sipped again and Sherlock met his gaze, "They've gotten closer. They seem happier this way. Both of them were pretty lost after losing their parents."

Sherlock nodded his mind wandering, "How is Deanna?"

Adam sighed, "About as well as she can be. They sedate her most of the time, she's more prone to violent outbursts. Heather doesn't visit anymore really. The doctor's say she is rarely cognizant. It hurts Heather but I also think she's finally letting it go. She can't do anything else." Sherlock only nodded, Kairi didn't speak of her mother any more either. He assumed it was something she only discussed with Dr. Sherman.

"Gentlemen!" Danni said from the doorway, bringing the men out of their thoughts. "Dinner is served!" She said gallantly, bowing deeply and arranging her arms just so, to welcome them into the dinning room.

They all went to be seated, the children with glasses of sparkling cider, Heather with a glass of wine, Adam, Sherlock, and Kairi with scotch. The food was passed around and plates were loaded with steaming and delicious smelling dishes. Kairi was happy to see that Sherlock was loading his plate with a decent amount of food. It wasn't quite as much as the rest of the family, but it was still food and he was still eating it.

Everyone chatted with familiarity and Sherlock just observed. He saw the smiles, heard the laughter, and enjoyed the stories. Danni was quite precocious. Julie seemed adventurous and independent, though secretly doting on her mother and little sister. Adam was smart and observant, and sweet to his wife. Heather was sharp, like Kairi, but in different ways. Comparing the two seemed almost unfair, the lives they lead were drastically different, almost painfully so. Heather had developed and matured in an appropriate manner. Kairi had suffered greatly and had somehow persevered. He wondered idly if this is what families were supposed to be like. Kairi would be incredibly disturbed when she had to encounter the debacle of Holmes' holidays.

After dinner was served the family sat together and watched a movie. Kairi sipped on whiskey as the children chattered away about the musical they were watching. It was familiar to Sherlock, something from his childhood, a favorite of his mother's no doubt. He did not consume much media as a child and when he did, he rarely cared for it. He found most of his comfort and amusement in educational texts which he considered recreational. He read some academia written by his mother which was to this day, still forward thinking and advanced literature. He never remembered sitting with everyone, bonding, watching movies. The thought of doing it with his family made him slightly sick and ashamed, but sitting here, with Kairi leaning into him and nursing her second and larger tumbler of scotch gave him an easy feeling. But that could be the tryptophan and the alcohol speaking.

He sighed deeply, leaning back into his chair and relaxing against Kairi who hummed against him. Kairi's fingers gently rubbed his stomach which was surprisingly full of delicious food.

He watched Heather and Adam, curled into each other with their children lying on the ground, feet up in the air and making circles. Adam had a hand in Heather's hair, his fingertips dragging across her scalp. She seemed unbelievably content, the blush of wine on her cheeks as she sunk into her husband for comfort. Adam seemed content as well, smiling softly as he watched the movie, his eyes dancing with the people on the film.

Sherlock glanced down at Kairi, her head against his chest as she lay sideways from him, half of her body resting against his. His arm was resting on her back and his hand twitched, tentatively moving from its location almost by its own volition and reached up to the base of her skull. His fingers splayed across her scalp, his fingers losing themselves in her waves. It was relaxing and erotic at the same time and he watched as she sighed deeply and sunk into him, much like Heather had done to Adam. The notion was surprisingly pleasing to him.

Once the movie was over, Adam and Heather carried their children to their bed, wishing Sherlock and Kairi a happy thanksgiving and a good night. Kairi was left in the lap of Sherlock, Appa lying at his feet. Sherlock's fingers massaged her scalp and she sighed heavily at the sensation. She missed his touch and his body. The taste of his lips on hers. She felt herself stirring, the place below her belly button quivered slightly when she let her thoughts roam to Sherlock and his magical hands and tongue. She moaned slightly and Sherlock's fingers stopped and her eyes popped open and she looked up at him, clearing her throat and sitting up sharply with a blush on her cheek.

"We should get to bed." Kairi muttered sheepishly, not looking at Sherlock's eyes which were alight with lust.

"We could get a hotel tonight." Sherlock said in a voice above a whisper, deep and soothing.

Kairi shuddered, sorely tempted, "No we can't. First there aren't any available. Second, I'm not rushing off in the middle of the night for a shag. My sister will think I'm dead."

"A motel then. By the hour." He scooted closer to her, reaching out to let his fingers trail her jawline.

She chuckled at him, "What's that saying? 'Absence makes the heart grow fonder'?"

"Rubbish." Sherlock growled and pulled her face to his in a vicious kiss. She whined into him and fought between pulling him on top of her and pushing him away.

Kairi turned her head away from his lips, "No, I'm sorry. You can't convince me." She shook her head and he leaned in and kissed her neck, nipping at her ear, "Get thee hence, Satan!" She growled playfully at him.

He smiled against her, "I find it interesting that you compare me to the devil."

Kairi shuddered at the sound of his voice and the tongue that scraped across her skin, "You  _are_  the devil." She chuckled and then grabbed his suit jacket and pushed him away, her lustful eyes meeting his playful ones. "I'm going to Danni's room. Alone. I'm locking the door and I'll set fire to you if you follow me." He grinned at her and she jumped up. "Move so we can pull out the bed. In 24 hours, we'll be home and then you can do whatever you want to me."

Sherlock rose and eyebrow in response and stood. They readied the pull-out bed and Kairi ran over to him quickly pecking him on the lips and groaning, wishing she could keep kissing him.

"Good night." She said quickly.

"Sweet dreams." He drawled, his voice thick and pregnant with meaning.

She shuddered and practically ran away and up the stairs, leaving Sherlock to grin himself to sleep.

* * *

The next morning after coffee and breakfast and chit-chat and cleaning, Kairi and Sherlock were making their way to leave. A cab would be arriving soon to take them to the airport and it was time to say their goodbyes.

"When will you come back?" Danni asked tearily as her arms wrapped around her aunt.

"As soon as I can, I promise." Kairi whispered and kissed her cheek, "You take care and keep working on your art."

Julie was replaced by Danni soon enough and she wrapped her arms around Kairi so tightly it almost hurt, "I don't want you to go."

Kairi smiled, "I know Julie, but I'll come visit when I can. Maybe you guys could make a big family trip out to England next year. I've got plenty of places I could show you. It takes time to plan something as big as that, but your parents could use the vacation." She glanced up at her sister who winked, it was already in the works.

"Really? We could come and stay with you?" Julie stepped back and smiled wide at her Aunt.

"Maybe not with me. Well not all of you. My place is kind of cramped. But I could probably find you a very nice hotel to stay in. Feel all posh."

Danni piped up as she stood in front of a stiff and stoic Sherlock, "What's posh? Are you posh?"

Sherlock's lip twitched with a smile, "No, I'm most definitely not posh."

Kairi chuckled and let go of Julie who walked over to Sherlock, "You're kind of posh." Sherlcok scowled at her.

"Thank you all for your hospitality." Sherlock nodded stiffly to Heather and Adam. He looked down at the children who were staring up at him expectantly. "What?" He asked them. They smiled at him, looking eager. "Oh." He groaned and stuck out his hand as farewell.

The girls exchanged a look and lunged at the detective, wrapping their arms around him and squeezing tightly. Kairi, Heather, and Adam tried to stifle their giggles as Sherlock looked uncomfortable and pained at the sudden affection. He looked to Kairi in desperation and she shook her head.

"You made your bed, now lie in it." She chuckled and he grit his teeth at her as the girls tightened their grip.

"Very good, erm, pleasant meeting you." He grumbled and patted them awkwardly on the shoulders.

"Will we see you in England Sherlock? Will you show us Big Ben?" Julie asked sweetly, looking up at him from her hug.

"Uh..."

"What about The Doctor? Can we meet him?" Danni added excitedly.

"Doctor Watson?" Sherlock looked confused, he hadn't mentioned Watson the entire trip.

"No! The Doctor!" Julie sounded exasperated.

"Doctor  _who_?" Sherlock asked as the girls stepped back, with wide smiles on their faces.

"Exactly!" They both said in unison and everyone started laughing.

"What?" Sherlock asked, clearly confused and a little annoyed at the seemingly pointless exchange.

Kairi rolled her eyes, "Cabs here Sherlock." She smiled and kissed her sister and Adam on the cheek, smiling wide and thanking them graciously. Sherlock nodded as he walked past, carrying their small luggage out to the cab.

Everyone waved happily as Sherlock and Kairi and Appa climbed into the van sized taxi.

"To the airport please." Kairi smiled to the cabby who waved his understanding. They pulled away and Kairi sunk into her seat, resting heavily against Sherlock and sighing. "God that was fun, but I'm exhausted." Sherlock nodded as his phone made an alert and he pulled it out, smiling mischievously. Kairi glanced up at him and frowned at the devilish grin. "What's happened? Someone died?"

Sherlock chuckled and put his phone in his pocket, "No it seems our flight has been cancelled. We've been placed on a later flight this afternoon." He raised his voice to call to the cabby, "Would you kindly take us to a hotel?"

"Which one?" The cabby asked.

Sherlock fished out his phone and within seconds replied, "The Ritz Carlton, please."

Kairi gaped and whispered, "Sherlock, The Ritz is expensive! Plus it's not that close. I'm sure we could just fudge around Fisherman's warf for a few hours or read in the airport. Why do we need a hotel?"

His gaze slid down to meet hers and the devilish grin was back. He lowered his lips to her ear, "We've some unfinished business Ms. Aria." He breathed into her ear which sent shivers down Kairi's spine and effectively turned her into a puddle.

* * *

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **_A/N_ **
> 
> **_hehehehehehehehehehehehehehe fluff...fluffy fluff fluuuuuuuuuff_ **
> 
> **_Hopefully you don't mind it. If you do let me know and I'll get back to the main plot line - its really not that far off anyway, only another two or three chapters until everything gets miserable again. Woo hoo!_ **
> 
> **_I'd really like to know if I kept Sherlock in character in this chapter. I did mention the liking kids aspect simply because I think he would appreciate someone with imagination and a clear sight, not muddled by society and altered perception. Their eyes are fresh and they notice things that a lot of people don't. I think Sherlock would appreciate that, even if he didn't necessarily "like" children._ **
> 
> **_I'm still debating between Cooking with Sherlock and Halloween at 221 Baker Street... Please comment and let me know what you'd like to see or if you even care, haha._ **
> 
> **_Love you all! Thank you for staying with me :D_ **


	32. -32-

Kairi tried not to fidget in horror as she sat in the back of a very expensive, very sleek, and incredibly ominous car that had to cost more than all of her expenses in her entire life. She sat next to Sherlock Holmes who was holding her hand in order to make his brother uncomfortable, but it also had the unintended benefit of having her skin against his. Mycroft was sitting across from them, pointedly staring out the window. Mycroft and Sherlock were silent, but Kairi wanted to scream. She had been trying to prepare herself for weeks, but nothing was helping. She needed whiskey and she needed a lot of it. What would be worse in the end: drunkenly throwing up on Mrs. Holmes' shoes or anxiously throwing up on Mrs. Holmes' shoes? Kairi couldn't decide. It was Christmas afternoon and she was on her way to the Holmes' family estate.

A week ago she had been sitting with Molly in a cafe in a shopping mall in London. It being Christmas, translated into the mall being well on its way to being over populated. Her and Molly paused their shopping for a break from the chaos. They were sipping their beverages, trying desperately to bring back their sanity.

" _Why didn't we just shop online?" Molly groaned at Kairi. Both of them were laden with shopping bags full of presents for family and friends._

_Kairi had both of her hands on either side of her face, a picture of instability, "I don't know. Remind me next year that this is not how we should be doing it."_

_Molly nodded, "Are we done then?"_

_Kairi shook her head, "I've got to find something for Sherlock. I have no idea what to get him."_

_Molly nodded, "He likes scarves." She said weakly and Kairi smiled at her._

_"Yes, but you've got him one already." Kairi chuckled at Molly who shrugged._

_"Gloves?" Molly added desperately and Kairi sighed._

_"No we're in a relationship, I think it has to be personal or something." Kairi grimaced and glanced up at Molly, "What did you get John?"_

_Molly blushed, "Well, I've scheduled a weekend away."_

_Kairi beamed, "What a good idea!" She saw Molly going to open her mouth but Kairi interrupted, "No! Don't tell me! If Sherlock knows I know he'll deduce it and then he'll show up and ruin it. Protect this secret with your life!" She growled and Molly laughed._

_"Well, do you know of anything Sherlock needs?" Molly asked, trying to help._

_Kairi shrugged, "I don't know. He gets whatever he wants, whenever he wants it. I guess I could seduce the beautiful coroner at Bart's and convince her to give me a body part, but I believe that would go over poorly at the Holmes' family Christmas."_

_Molly chuckled, "Well, they_ are _the Holmeses." She smiled and Kairi let herself chuckle, "God, you are the bravest woman I've ever met. You work for Mycroft, you're dating Sherlock, and now you'll be meeting his parents." She shook her head as she sipped her tea, "I didn't think he had parents. I thought he had been grown in a laboratory or something."_

_Kairi snorted, "Oh Lord, wouldn't that be something?" Kairi straightened, preparing herself for her best Sherlock Holmes impression as she squared her shoulders and raised a haughty eyebrow, "I would endeavor you to meet my parents, Donor 456 and Donor 927. This was my childhood home, a Petri dish, sample two." Molly eyes went wide at that, covering her mouth to keep her tea from coming out as she tried to breathe. She swallowed carefully and began laughing hysterically._

_"Oh Jesus Kairi, you can't do that to me." She snickered, covering her mouth again and trying to breathe. "God Kairi, I still can't believe it." She leaned in, whispering, "Sherlock Holmes has a girlfriend." She gulped and sat up shocked, "And I actually like her!"_

_Kairi smiled wide, "It's hard to fathom isn't it? But I like you too, you're my best friend."_

_Molly looked a bit chuffed, "You're mine as well." She nodded and they both shared a smile._

_"Which is why I need your help." Kairi sighed, "What in the hell am I supposed to wear?"_

She sat now in the back of the sleek car wearing a very simple black dress. It had a peter pan neckline that sat just an inch or so below her collar bones; low enough to not bother her, but high enough to be modest. It had capped sleeves that covered most of her tattoos and a form-fitting bodice that fanned out at the waist into a pleated skirt that hit two inches above her knee. She wore a simple pair of black tights that were slightly sheer with a herringbone pattern on them. On her feet she wore a pair of red, sequined flats. She wanted to look nice, she wanted to look almost professional, but she wanted to remain herself, so her eye liner was still dark and her lips matched her shoes. Sherlock would most likely be upset with her if she tried to look too different. Just for him, she wore her hair down in her natural waves, aided by product to keep away the frizz.

She looked out the window, trying not to worry her lip between her teeth and she felt Sherlock's hand reach out and gently trace the pattern on her leg, just below her skirt. She grabbed his hand sharply and set it between them, but did not let it go. She didn't hesitate to glare slightly at Mycroft who seemed to snort at their interaction. She spared a look at Sherlock who seemed more morose than before. She had gone through it with him strictly, he was not to engage in any action he wouldn't do in public, just to spite his family. He had agreed when Kairi had told him that those actions would not only make her feel uncomfortable with the pressure of meeting his parents, but it also made her feel used. She laced her fingers through his and squeezed his hand quickly and she peeked over at him to see his lip twitch as he gazed out the window.

They were heading somewhere into the country side. Kairi had no idea where, but it was beautiful. They had been in the car for quite some time, but going through panic attacks and trying to focus her breathing had kept her busy so she hadn't been keeping track.

She tried to imagine who Mr. and Mrs. Holmes would be. In the few times Sherlock and Mycroft fought over their parents and the one time John mentioned that they discussed "mummy" it seemed she was formidable and they were both desperate to please her. If Sherlock and Mycroft couldn't please her, how in God's name could someone like Kairi?

And the father. Oh God the father. If he was anything like Sherlock and Mycroft he would be cold, calculating, and devastating. They never talked about him so what if he was some sort of monster? Sherlock and Mycroft disliked many people and insulted even more than that, where did they learn it all from?

Images of Freud were dancing in her head and she felt herself begin to shake until she felt Sherlock squeeze her hand gently. She tried to take another breath, wishing she could have a cigarette or twenty before they arrived. She glanced at Mycroft, brow still knitted and deep in thought; she looked at Sherlock who finally looked at her and smiled in a sad way.

She tried to calm her heartbeat, what on earth did he know that she didn't?

A few minutes later they pulled up to a very nice and very large home. It was rectangular, two-storied and painted a rather bright red, weather worn, but similar to Kairi's lipstick. She smiled at that. There was a fence around the front, built from grey stone and rod-iron pikes for the gate. It looked very nice, but also quite normal. She was expecting something Victorian or something with white marble and lots of columns. She glanced at Sherlock who was staring at the home with something between disgust and longing. It really was quite odd.

The car finally pulled to a stop and both Sherlock and Mycroft seemed to sigh dejectedly, but quickly recovered and put on their best stony expressions. Kairi tried to keep in her grin as Mycroft looked to his brother.

"Ready, brother mine?" He smiled sickly.

Sherlock nodded, a cold stare set to his eyes, "Not in the least."

Mycroft almost chucked and then turned to Kairi, "This is our childhood home Kairi, welcome." He muttered, a little distastefully and then opened the door, "Its time we get this over with."

Both men seemed very unsettled - at least for them. Mycroft opened the door with a jolt and got out of the car with a huff and Sherlock followed, reaching his hand out to Kairi who let him help her out. She took a good look at all of them now, staring at Sherlock, dressed in his tailored suit, fitting him perfectly, with a crisp maroon shirt; Mycroft in his three-piece suit with a white shirt and navy blue tie; and Kairi in her black dress and red shoes. If not for Kairi's shoes, she would have thought they were attending a funeral instead of Christmas dinner. The grim look on the Holmes' brother's faces did not help either.

At that moment, the door burst open and a woman with a light and colorful shirt unbuttoned and flowing over a black camisole came rushing out. Her eyes were bright and happy alight with the sight of them arriving. She had light blonde hair, going ashy and grey, but it was swept back in a simple chignon. Her eyes were clear in this moment, a very cool minty green that made Kairi step back slightly. Sherlock had his mother's eyes.

Behind her was an older gentleman, standing in the door frame with a timid smile on his features. He was dressed simply, with a buttoned cardigan, a striped shirt and a bright red bow tie adorning his neck. He resembled Sherlock greatly and it made Kairi's heart warm instantly, seeing kindness in his eyes and a gentle smile on his lips.

"Oh my boys!" The woman squealed and reached out, grabbing Mycroft into a vicious hug which his face said he despised, but his eyes were soft. She patted him generously on the back and then moved to Sherlock who she squeezed so tightly he let out a huff of air and she riddled his face with kisses which he didn't protest, but also refused to enjoy.

She took a step back, gripping both of their arms and staring at them with profound love in her eyes and both of them looked horribly uncomfortable, "Merry Christmas my beautiful sons." She smiled and then turned to Kairi who couldn't keep the grin off of her face. Sherlock looked to her and he scowled and Kairi's face only beamed brighter.

"Hello dear, you must be Kairi!" Sherlock's mother said softly with a kind smile on her features, "It's an absolute delight to meet you." She walked over and placed her gentle hands on Kairi's arms and smiled at her brightly, looking her up and down, "Oh you've done well Sherlock, she's a looker!"

"Mother!" Sherlock hissed. Kairi chuckled softly and Mycroft actually gave a quite unique and genuine smile at his brother's discomfort.

"Oh, you." Mother flapped her hands at Sherlock to wave him away and then focused back on Kairi, "It's a pleasure dear. I was beginning to think I would die and rot before one of my boys brought home someone special."

Kairi smiled wide, "It's absolutely my pleasure Mrs. Holmes. Thank you very much for inviting me to Christmas."

"Oh please darling, come on in and get out of the chill," She smiled and hooked her arm in Kairi's, "I can tell you aren't accustomed to our weather still. From California then?"

Kairi nodded, glancing at Sherlock with a huge beaming smile and he looked absolutely furious, "Yes, Mrs. Holmes, that's correct. San Diego and L.A. mostly, but I've traveled quite a bit as well." It seemed to Kairi that Sherlock and Mycroft got their intelligence and their vivacity from their mother and their handsome features from their father. She was dying to see who he turned out to be.

"Oh Kairi, please call me Wanda," She smiled wide and Kairi was enamored, "Mrs. Holmes was my mother in law," She glanced at her husband who was standing in the doorway, looking pleased, so she whispered, "She was detestable." Kairi snickered slightly at that as Wanda pulled her into the home. "Go say hello to your sons Timothy." Wanda muttered to her husband, "Then you need to come in and give Kairi a tour." Kairi was getting pulled along and she glanced back at the Holmes brothers who looked pained and uncomfortable standing in the front yard. Timothy, their father, walked over to them and extended a hand to welcome them home.

Wanda pulled Kairi inside and helped her remove her jacket, hanging it up on the wall that lead to another room. The lounge she was standing in looked like it came straight from a Home and Garden magazine. The ceilings were relatively low and the walls were a forest green, covered in art and photography. There were Christmas decorations all over, garlands and lights and statues, and a wide christmas tree lovingly decorated with hundreds of lights and ornaments. As Wanda walked to the door to call the men in, Kairi couldn't help but walk over to the Christmas tree to see a circular ornament made of plaster with the footprint of a very small child in the center, painted to look like a reindeer. Kairi felt her heart clench, looking at the tiny foot, with writing underneath that said  _Sherlock's First Christmas_. She touched her finger to the small footprint and she felt her ovaries give a good tug. She had no desire for children at this point in her life, but damn if that little foot didn't just about break her heart.

She heard the commotion of the Holmes family as the men came bustling in, mostly Sherlock and Mycroft grumbling at each other while their mother tried to mediate. The father just followed quietly, a happy smile on his face watching his beloveds all bob and weave around each other, ducking questions.

"Putting on weight Mycroft?" Wanda would ask.

"Mummy it doesn't look like you've vacuumed in weeks. Do you need a live in?" Mycroft would reply snidely.

"Sherlock your hair is much too long and shaggy, you look homeless!" Wanda would utter, pawing at him.

He'd slap her hands away like a child in a huff and growl back, "Mummy, that shirt again? Can't you buy new clothes?"

"I would if I didn't have to keep buying news papers to find out what's going on in my youngest child's life!" She would snap back and begin pawing at them both.

The diatribe continued much to this vein with the Holmes brothers snipping back at their mother who had absolutely no fear of them whatsoever.

Kairi felt Timothy side up to her, a simple smile on his face. He nodded to her, remaining quiet. "Is it always like this?" She smiled up at him and met his happy eyes.

"Yes, just about." He chuckled, "I never could keep up with them."

She giggled, "Oh I know how you feel." They both glanced back at the scene, Wanda chasing around Sherlock, threatening him with shears, bossing Mycroft who was supposed to look out for his brother who simply rolled his eyes and looked pained. "My god this is brilliant." Kairi chuckled.

Timothy glanced down at her and nodded, "It's always quite amusing. Would you like some tea in the kitchen?"

Kairi smiled wide, "Yes, I think I would."

They walked into the kitchen, leaving behind the din of the mother doting over her sons who refused to be adored. Timothy pulled out a chair and Kairi sat, looking around, smiling at the perfect kitchen. Things were used and well-loved and everything seemed so comfortable. The rooms she had seen were bright and comfortable and warm and cozy. It was what a small cottage in the country should look like, though small definitely wasn't the word to describe it. The kitchen was rather large and full of spices and smells and utensils and pictures adorning its sea-foam green walls. Kairi just shook her head as she glanced around taking it all in.

"Your home is beautiful Mr. Holmes." She nodded as he prepped the tea.

He chuckled over his shoulder, "Please call me Timothy," He instructed and Kairi nodded as he set a pot to boil and then started gathering snacks, "I'm afraid I haven't much to do with it. The Mrs. is the one who took charge of all the decorating. We've collected a lot these past 40 or so years together." He looked around the room fondly and Kairi felt herself warm to him automatically. He glanced back at her and smiled again. "So how did someone as lovely as you end up with my son?"

Kairi blanched and cleared her throat, "Well, I, erm," She paused fidgeting with the hem of her skirt and she stared at her hands. She wasn't going to lie to his parents. Sherlock would obviously be truthful and if she weren't they would probably figure it out anyway, "Well, he insulted me and I sort of punched him and then we worked together briefly on a case and then I was a client and soon we became friends. It all just sort of never stopped snowballing." She winced and there was silence. She looked up at Timothy who had a hand over his mouth, chuckling heartily.

"Oh my," He tried to quell his laughter by shaking his head, "Oh, you must be spirited, then." Kairi nodded, "Well, its no surprise. They grew up with England's resident genius. He would be compelled to find a woman just as strong and smart."

Kairi's eyes were wide, unsure of how to respond to such a compliment, "I - uh, I don't know what to say." She shook her head.

Timothy grinned, rocking back on his heels as she'd seen Mycroft do before if he were feeling cheeky, "Well, a thank you might suffice, but it's hardly needed." He nodded and Kairi chuckled, "Sherlock wouldn't just bring any old girl round home. We're delighted to get to know you."

Kairi grinned up at him, "I'm pretty ecstatic to meet you two as well. Working with Mycroft and being friends with Sherlock has given me an interesting view of the world. I'm delighted to see where it all came from."

It was Timothy's turn to look surprised, "Oh dear, you work with Mycroft?" Kairi nodded, concerned, "Well, formidable indeed. Handling both of them every day? My Lord..." He trailed off with a small smile.

At that moment, Sherlock burst into the kitchen, narrowing his eyes at his father and looking at Kairi who was smiling back at him, genuinely and no longer nervous. "What are you talking about?" He sounded grave.

Timothy grinned, "How you two met."

Wanda pushed in past Sherlock, "Oh! I'd love to hear it again if you don't mind? Timothy dear, the tea is ready."

Mycroft walked in behind her, "It hasn't whist -," He began but was interrupted by the tea pot letting out a long whistle. He rolled his eyes at his smug mother.

Sherlock sat next to Kairi at the table, eyeing her suspiciously as she grinned widely at him, the smile hadn't left her face since his mother had come out of the house exploding with her outrageous sentiment. His mother was looking at Kairi expectantly so he interrupted, "We met at Scotland Yard. I deduced her -,"

"Incorrectly." Kairi added with sass and Sherlock sent her a withering look which made her grin again.

"I deduced her," Sherlock intoned more dramatically, "She punched me. We worked a case. She started for Mycroft. She became a case and then we became-," He paused, looking at his expectant mother, a grinning father and an amused Mycroft, "- friends and colleagues." Kairi chuckled at him.

"Tea time." Timothy chimed, walking over with the tray and setting it out for the family.

Wanda started first, setting out all of the cups and making them to the specifications that her family enjoyed. She doled out cups to Sherlock, Mycroft, and Timothy and then looked to Kairi, "Cream or sugar, dear?"

Kairi replied, "Both please, I'm afraid to admit I'm not very well versed in tea."

Wanda smiled, mixing up the tea for Kairi and handing it over, "Well you are American dear, we wont hold it against you." She winked and Kairi just chuckled as she sipped the tea and she recognized the delicious taste. She looked at Mycroft who avoided her gaze - he drank his mother's tea. She just smiled knowingly into her cup. She was gaining so many insights into the Holmes brothers it was making her head spin.

"Thanks for that." She smiled.

"So Sherlock, tell me about your cases. I do love John's blog but it misses the technical aspect I do love to so much." Wanda smiled as she sipped her tea.

Sherlock rolled his eyes, "Mother its boring to recount old cases."

She pouted at her son, "Oh Sherlock, please?"

He sighed dramatically and sipped his tea, glancing at Kairi and began to recount the last few months of cases. He was gracious enough to leave out Kairi's case, as it wasn't his to tell and it wasn't precisely over. Kairi could see why Sherlock didn't want to retell his stories once he got started, because Mycroft would chime in with a snide comment, Timothy would ask questions for clarification, which Sherlock found tiresome, and his mother would pipe up to compliment him which made his cheeks go slightly red. The dynamic was absolutely insane and Kairi could see just how exhausting the family could be. There was a lot of love there, but three geniuses in such a small space all stubborn and fighting for the last world would make anyone lose their marbles. She wondered how often Timothy snuck to the liquor cabinet for a top off, but when she looked at him, quiet and quite serene as he gazed at his family, she couldn't help but want to give him a giant hug. He loved it and it was as obvious as the nose on your face. Kairi couldn't help but look around with amusement at them. It was vastly different from her family, from any family she'd met, but it definitely wasn't as terrifying as she expected. It was fascinating and it was fun, watching the Holmeses trying to keep up with one another and outwit each other. She would imagine it would be an exhausting day for Sherlock and Mycroft as their mother was possibly sharper than the both of them.

"So Kairi," Wanda began which snapped Kairi out of her thoughts and observations, "You do something with computers then?"

Kairi would ask how she knew it, but it was probably something like the muscles on her thumbs, so she just nodded, "That's correct. I have experience in web programming as well as computer science."

Wanda smiled, "Oh that sounds fascinating. I haven't much invested time in computers, I rather like the serenity of living away from busy London, but I've been meaning to brush up on it a bit. Every year its harder and harder to get a damned mobile with buttons on it, so I best get with the program."

Kairi chuckled, "I would be happy to help anyway I can. I know Sherlock and Mycroft don't exactly like computers either."

Wanda tittered, "Yes I'm afraid that's my fault. We didn't raise them with much technology."

"Any technology, mummy." Mycroft added and Sherlock sniffed bitterly.

"Well it's all good in moderation," Kairi shrugged, "When we were children there wasn't that much happening anyways, other than TV, and most TV is rubbish." She saw Sherlock smile slightly at that and she kept the soft smile on her lips.

Wanda nodded sipping her tea, "I'd have to agree with you there."

"I do like Bond and Doctor Who though, as far as current media goes." Timothy added.

Kairi turned, smiling wide, "Sherlock mentioned you were a James Bond fan. My father was and I ended up reading all the books. I've seen the movies as well, but trying to talk to him about current media is like head butting a brick wall." She pointed at Sherlock who glared at her playfully, but continued to listen.

"Yes, well, us Holmeses do have our stubborn side." Timothy grinned as he placed his hand on his wife's arm.

"That we do." Wanda smiled up at her husband with admiration.

Kairi took a second to flicker her gaze at Mycroft who looked slightly disgusted, but only slightly. She chanced a look at Sherlock who was staring at his parents with a soft expression, his lip twitched in what she thought was a smile. She grinned widely and Sherlock's attention refocused on her and a mask of distaste completely overthrew his features in an instant. She chuckled softly and directed her attention back to Wanda and Timothy who were still smiling at each other. They broke their gaze almost as if they forgot the world around them was still present and smiled at the people around them.

"Well we've got dinner in a few hours, but I'm thinking that Sherlock needs to see Kairi about the property. Mycroft, I'm sure you need to tend to business. I'll be getting the meal started. I do hope you like Italian Kairi. I'm not sure how it started, but I refuse to do turkey on Christmas, its like Thanksgiving re-do." She sighed and looked at her children and then back to her husband, "And Timothy here is allergic to ham, so that's not an option."

Kairi's eyes widened, "Oh I don't mind at all! I love food, any food. I'd be happy to help if you need any. I'm sure you have it all down to a science, but if you need it, I'm willing."

Wanda laughed heartily at that, "Oh my, I never thought, in all my days, I'd actually have help in the kitchen!" She smiled at Kairi and reached over, patting her hand, "God knows Timothy is hopeless in a kitchen and the boys were just spoiled. Not that I don't love to cook, but trying to get them to make their own sandwich was almost impossible."

Kairi smiled wide, "Yes I'm sure." She glanced at Sherlock who was scowling and Mycroft looked like he was undergoing torture. "I bet you had your hands full."

Wanda rolled her eyes with a dramatic sigh, "Oh you haven't the foggiest." She stood slowly, collecting tea items to clear the kitchen so she could get started, "The stories I could tell you about these boys when they were younger."

Kairi's eyes widened eagerly, "I'd love to hear them!" She saw Sherlock and Mycroft noticeably stiffen in her peripheral vision. She leaned forward as Wanda opened her mouth to begin speaking.

Mycroft interjected, "This is your fault." He growled quietly at Sherlock who practically hissed at him like a cat. " _Do_  something." He growled.

Sherlock stood quickly, his chair scraping back as he got to his feet, effectively silencing his mother and Kairi who he was glaring at. "Kairi, I wish to show you around the grounds."

Kairi frowned, "She was just going to tell me about a child-Sherlock. I can't miss out on that." His only response was a glare, but Wanda interrupted their staring match with a laugh.

"Go on Kairi, he's got all sorts of little hidey holes around the property. He can't keep us apart all day." She said sweetly with a sing-song tone and Sherlock growled impatiently.

He reached out his hand to Kairi, "Come." He spat and Kairi glared at him and pointedly crossed her arms. He rolled his eyes and sighed, "Please?" He said with a little more sincerity and desperation. She still glared at him but she stood and took his hand.

"Please let me know if I can help, Wanda." She smiled to Sherlock's mother who was busy humming along and prepping her kitchen, nodding to Kairi and Sherlock as he swept them out of the kitchen and back into the lounge where he grabbed her jacket and pulled her outside where the sky was actually rather clear. It wasn't very sunny, but it also wasn't extremely gloomy, but the crisp air made her pull her jacket a little tighter.

Back in the kitchen, Wanda was beginning to wash vegetables in the sink and she looked out the window to see Sherlock holding Kairi's hand as he pulled her a little roughly down the entrance path. She chuckled and turned to Mycroft and Timothy, "I like her."

Timothy nodded, "Well to catch Sherlock's attention in the first place, she's got to be pretty damn decent."

They looked at Mycroft and he shifted uncomfortably, "Ms. Aria is..." He grimaced again, "She is intelligent. Not outlandishly, but she's quite remarkable. Strong enough to put up with Sherlock and to stand up to him when necessary. I've yet to see her back down from him when she truly believed she was in the right."

Wanda smiled, winking at her eldest boy, "When will you bring someone home Mycroft?" Mycroft groaned and pulled at the paper on the table and flapped it open, signaling he would not be discussing the question further.

* * *

As they rounded the house, which was larger than Kairi initially expected, Sherlock tugged on her hand. The property was vast, with a very large connected plot of land that trailed off into hills and patches of trees. She couldn't see another house very close, but she was unfamiliar with the countryside, so she elected to follow Sherlock around like a puppy. She really should have worn jeans and tennies if Sherlock was going to be dragging her on a hike.

She cleared her throat, almost to the point where she was breathing heavily trying to keep up with him, "Where are we going?"

She saw Sherlock smile faintly, "My hidey hole as mummy so lovingly put it." He glanced back at her and she chuckled at the sparkle in his eye. He seemed like a child at this moment, his curly hair bouncing and flying in the wind as he dragged her along the grassy patch of land towards the trees.

"I'm in a dress, I should have worn proper walking gear!" She laughed as they edged closer to the trees.

"It's not very far, it's just secret." He muttered over his shoulder, "Your attire should be perfectly adequate."

Kairi rolled her eyes, looking out at the countryside as Sherlock guided her. The entire scene looked to be out of a movie or magazine. It was perfectly serene and clear, the sounds of life surrounded them, but not the shocking sounds of London berating your ear drums, it was the wind in the trees and animals squeaking here and there, collecting food before the real cold set in. The rich blue sky was littered with bright white clouds that reflected the sunshine they were trying to hide and the air was clean and peaceful. She had to admit that compared to London, living out in the country sounded quite nice. She didn't necessarily mind the constant beating heart of the city, but at the same time, the serenity of solitude always called to her in a way. One day, when she was tired, she'd find a place out in the middle of no where, maybe closer to the equator so she could live on the beach, and live out the rest of her days. She didn't know who she would do it with, but she'd do it. And in the end she'd be happy.

Sherlock guided her further into the trees. She gasped with the intensity of the scenery around her. Bright sunlight filtered through the trees, shining in spot lights along her path as she followed behind Sherlock who seemed eager, even happy.

She smiled, a memory warming her heart - she had so many more these days - the light coming through the leaves and shining onto fallen stumps and dark mossy stones. She sighed heavily, looking around, being consumed by the scenery. She thought of a movie, a silly movie that reminded her of childhood, Darby O'Ghill and the Little People. Sean Connery singing as they ran through the forest, talking to leprechauns and then there was something dark and sad, but she barely remembered it. She just tried to focus on the men playing a fiddle, trying to not imagine Sherlock Holmes dancing around the forest playing his violin.

She snickered as she followed him and he lead her through the branches, deftly, excitedly. He stopped finally and Kairi ran into him hard. She let out a whoosh of air and he turned on her sharply, grasping her face in his gentle hands and leaning down to kiss her soundly. She sort of melted into him, their lips engaging in a sensual exchange as his fingers played in her hair. When he pulled back he had that same boyish look in his eye and a simple grin on his features.

"Your family is amazing." She smiled at him and he seemed to frown, "I mean I'm sure there have been problems, but your mother is brilliant and your father is kind. I can see how they created someone as wonderful as you."

He kissed her again sharply, murmuring into her lips, "Stop complimenting me, its driving me mad."

Kairi chuckled against him, "Sorry, I'll start insulting you again." They continued to kiss for a few blissful, silent moments, "However, last time I called you a coward you jumped me."

He growled into her mouth, his arm snaking against her lower back to pull her closer and press their bodies together, "We shouldn't talk about things, I might do something indecent."

Kairi smiled, "You probably should stop kissing me like this and show me around."

He huffed and pulled away, their faces inches from each other and their heated breaths showing in the brisk air. "That is a disappointing notion." Kairi chuckled and peeled herself from him, making her way to navigate through the rich forest. She inhaled, the scent and taste of damp wood and flowering plants tickling her imagination. She would have loved growing up somewhere like this, it was meant for adventure.

Sherlock cleared his throat and joined Kairi as they walked through the trees and around bushes, "I used to come out here to be alone." He stated simply as Kairi watched him, his eyes glistening in patches of sunlight. They approached a very large downed tree, covered with moss and rotting away. Sherlock placed his hand on the cool moss and Kairi followed suit, wanting to experience what was going on in his mind. "Childhood was difficult. My mother is a stubborn and brilliant woman and I always thought my father was meek. Mycroft was a complete prat, berating me for my stupidity." He spat with a little bitterness.

Kairi tried not to smile, "You're right about your mother. I think I can imagine how difficult it is to be with someone smarter than you who seems to be able to know and predict every move you make." She added a bit sarcastically and he looked down at her with a small grin. "Mycroft is a big brother, they tend to be jerks. I'm sure he loves you in his own twisted way." Sherlock grimaced at those words, but Kairi continued, "Your father really interests me. I can't imagine it would have been easy living a life where everyone is smarter than you. You may think he's meek, but I think he's a strategist. He probably had to choose his words carefully at all times, always be hyper aware of his actions. I think that would drive most people mad, but the love he has for all of you, it exudes from his pores. It must have been difficult for all of you, but its amazing, its interesting, just how normal and not normal you all are."

Sherlock rose an eyebrow, "You think we are normal?"

Kairi shrugged, "You're talking to the wrong familial expert here." They shared a chuckle at that, "I just think it's a fascinating dynamic. A doting mother, two independent young men, and a very caring father. That's what a lot of people would call a good family, maybe even a great one."

Sherlock frowned, "It wasn't always. We made things difficult on my parents, Mycroft and I."

Kairi put her hand in his and squeezed, "We all make things difficult on the ones we love Sherlock. We all have expectations and desires we want to be fulfilled, sometimes its hard not to project those things on the people we care about. We also have so much to deal with inside our own heads, you and Mycroft and your mother most of all, I can't imagine its easy inside that big melon of yours."

His lip twitched as he glanced down at her, "Are you implying I've got a big head?"

Kairi smiled wide, "Catch that did you? You really  _are_  a detective." She feigned astonishment and he let out a deep laughter. "So what did you do out here as a child? Bring out unsuspecting females and kiss them into submission."

He shook his head, admiring her, "No, this was my private place." He looked a little nervous, "You're the first person I've brought here."

Kairi looked taken aback by that, "Oh." She looked around again, this was Sherlock's personal place, his refuge from his complex life, this is where he came to feel at peace and feel happy and he brought Kairi to it. This held a lot of implications and Kairi felt her breath hitch and she remembered what John Watson had told her: Sherlock was just about as in love as Sherlock could get. For some reason, the implication of their relationship, their discussion over terms and boundaries of their interactions, and their sexual compatibility just finally hit her square in the chest. To Sherlock Holmes, Kairi mattered and she mattered greatly. Her eyes began to water and she did her best to keep the happy tears from pouring out of her eyes. She looked up at Sherlock who was watching her expectantly and nervous and she smiled at him and threw her arms around him, "Thank you for bringing me here."

Sherlock seemed confused as he wrapped his arms around her, "You're welcome, Kairi." He stated timidly.

She pulled back and stared him in the eyes, "I love you Sherlock Holmes." He looked surprised and then he stiffened slightly, trying to think about what to say, "Don't say anything. I'm not expecting you too. I feel what I feel and that's that." She kissed him gently and he responded to her slowly at first, but his lips changed pace and moved frantically as he pulled her closer, his mouth devouring hers as he walked her backwards until she was pressed up against a tree. Kairi tried not to moan and enjoy the primal feeling of Sherlock, aroused and pressing up against her. "Oh Sherlock, I miss you." She said quietly as his mouth moved down her throat and neck, pushing aside her heavy coat as his arms snaked inside to feel the heat of her.

He continued kissing her hungrily, but managed to speak between his assault, "How can you miss me I'm right here?"

Kairi chuckled and she felt his hand move to her backside to cup her bottom, "I was being delicate." She whispered in his ear and he growled deep within his chest, his fingers digging into the fabric keeping them apart. She felt his other hand trace down her thigh and dip beneath her skirt, only to be frustrated by the tights blocking him access to her skin.

"You're wearing far too many clothes." He grumbled against her and she felt his teeth sink into her flesh and she gasped.

"Its cold, its Christmas," She panted and moved her hands to grip his face and bring it closer to hers, "We need to stop. We can't do this here." He kissed her fervently and growled deep in his chest, pressing his forehead to hers in frustration. He pulled his hand away from her back side and under her skirt and placed them on her hips, squeezing them tightly as they held each other close. "I'm sorry, you know I want to Sherlock, but we cant."

Sherlock sighed, "I understand." He replied quietly, but his grip tightened on her, "I dislike it greatly, but I understand. I would prefer to have some time with you, though the allure of taking you in the forest, in the most treasured place of my childhood," He punctuated this by pressing his hips into hers and she felt him stiff against her, "Is overwhelming."

Kairi chuckled against him, trying to subdue the absolute need that was coursing through her veins, "One day maybe," He looked up at her with surprised eyes, hooded with lust, "But not on Christmas and not on the first day I meet your mother."

He chuckled at her, "Your silly little mind that cares so much about what others think of you. How bothersome."

She pushed him back gently and they began adjusting their clothing, "I agree it's hellishly bothersome, but unfortunately, my tiny mind can't stop itself." She smiled at him and he helped her pick off bits of tree that attached themselves to her clothing and hair.

Sherlock smiled, pruning her, "I'm amused that you've invested in a new lipstick. It doesn't smudge like your other one."

Kairi chuckled, "Yes well, when I first started wearing red lipstick I didn't imagine I'd be snogging someone quite so often."

He reached out a hand and she took it gingerly and he walked her back over to the fallen tree and they sat next to each other, just absorbing their mystical surroundings.

"I used to pretend to be a pirate." He said quietly, just gazing around with a soft grin on his face.

Kairi imagined that he was replaying all of his old games in his head: reenacting his favorite sword fights, his most daring rescues. For a man who claimed to despise sentiment, he sure held a lot of it for this place in particular.

"It's so beautiful here, Sherlock. I can see why you like it." She smiled up at him and his lip twitched in a grin, "It's amazing to me, watching you. You've got the mind of a scientist and the heart of an artist. You are right and left brain all the time. I love it."

He gazed down at her, unsure of how to respond, "You know, you pay me an awful lot of compliments." He sounded guilty, "I don't believe I do that for you."

Kairi shrugged, "I know I'm awesome, its all right."

Sherlock chuckled, looking down at the forest floor, "Yes, you are." Kairi looked up at him a little surprised, "I find it difficult to discuss the way that things affect me. I never wanted things to affect me and they always did, until I learned to shut it all off." He paused and looked into her eyes, a sense of comfort surrounding him in his secret place, "For most of my life, I was plagued by the overwhelming amount of sensations and stimulation that everyday life provides. I find it distracting and uncomfortable. Caring about things, having things matter to me other than a case, other than facts and evidence, it muddles everything that I am and everything I can be." He inspected Kairi's face closely, her lips parted gently and her eyes looked concerned. She held so much emotion for him and it was confusing, "I find myself rather focused when I'm with you. You calm me in ways I didn't think possible without the aid of highly addictive substances." He chuckled and Kairi smiled at him, "I still don't know what to make of you, but I can't stand the thought of removing you from me."

Kairi's breath hitched and she smiled wide at Sherlock, taking his hand in hers and squeezing, "That's good enough for me Sherlock. I don't want to lose you either."

He smiled a little ruefully at that, "It's almost annoying."

She chuckled, "Yeah, I love you too." She joked and poked him in the side and they sat in a comfortable silence, leaning against one another. She was surprised by how different Sherlock seemed in his hiding place. She didn't think that the persona he presented almost all the time was fake, she knew it was very, very real, but seeing him here, truly hidden from the world, brought out a softer side. She found it comforting, the dichotomy of Sherlock Holmes. She didn't expect a man as brilliant as him would be one-dimensional, but she was vastly enjoying experiencing Sherlock Holmes in the fullest way. Knowing him was an adventure.

"We should probably start heading back." He muttered, "Mummy will be needing help with dinner."

Kairi smiled at him, "Of course. Let's go." Sherlock hopped off of the log and grabbed Kairi by the waist to help her stand. She pulled him in for a hug and held him close, relishing in his warmth both physically and dare she say it, emotionally.

They held hands as Sherlock guided her out of the forest, back into the presence of prying but approving eyes. As they walked down the path, the sun was beginning to set and the sky burned with glorious reds and oranges that faded into pinks and purples. Kairi had to admit she was slightly disappointed with the fact that it didn't snow for them, but after a lengthy discussion with Sherlock, evidently snow in London wasn't all that common. She wasn't really all that put out to be honest, cold was still cold and wet-cold made everything worse.

They got back into the Holmes' house and Sherlock helped Kairi with her jacket before removing his own. She wandered over to the book shelves and let her fingers trace across the bindings of all sorts of colors and textures ranging from incredibly old to brand new. She paused as she came across a litter of books all with Sherlock's mother's name on them. Titles ranged from high level mathematics to physics to engineering. She gasped and looked at Sherlock who was standing there looking disinterested.

"Your mother wrote all these?" Kairi stared in disbelief and Sherlock nodded. "Oh my..." Kairi didn't get a chance to finish because Mycroft burst into the room.

"If I'm meant to suffer, as are you. Get into the kitchen, now." He growled and Sherlock smirked.

Kairi chuckled as she pushed past Mycroft into the kitchen to see Timothy sitting at the table, sipping on a glass of whiskey while Wanda fussed around the kitchen. Kairi didn't realize how long they had been gone, but almost everything was ready for dinner. A fat dish had lasagna piled inside of it, there were loaves of bread prepped to be put in the oven, dusted with garlic and butter. It all smelled heavenly.

"Need any help?" Kairi questioned and Wanda turned, a bright smile on her face.

"Hmm, possibly." She nodded and took stock of her progress. "Boys, could you go and set the nice table with linens and my best china? It is Christmas after all."

"Yes mummy." Mycroft and Sherlock said at the same time.

"I'll go supervise, keep them from stabbing each other with salad forks or something." Timothy grinned and nodded to his wife and tipped his glass to Kairi.

"What can I do?" Kairi smiled as she watched Wanda's eyes follow her husband.

She giggled, "Nothing actually. It's all done. I just wanted to get rid of the men." She walked towards her cabinet and pulled out a bottle of red wine. "Would you like a bit?"

Kairi nodded, "Yes thank you, that would be wonderful."

Wanda pulled out some glasses and then sat, Kairi followed her and sat next to her as she poured glasses of wine for them. "I figure after 40 years of dealing with that lot, I deserve a little one on one time with a lady."

"Yes, I can imagine you would." Kairi chuckled and sipped her wine. It was very good. "What kind of wine is this? I'm hopeless when it comes to wine, but I've got a friend, Detective Lestrade, who is a wine buff. I'm sure he'd love this."

Wanda smiled, "It's a 1997 Domaine de la Romanée-Conti. One of my favorites, we have a bundle of it down in the cellar. I try to pull it out on special occasions such as this."

"I'll have to look it up, I'm sure he'd be delighted to try it if he hasn't already." Kairi nodded behind her glass as she sipped.

Wanda waved a dismissive hand, "You can take one for yourself. Us Holmeses aren't big drinkers. I've got enough wine down in the cellar to keep us satiated for a hundred more holidays."

Kairi's eyes widened, "Oh so you actually have a wine cellar?"

Wanda nodded, "Yes, as much as we don't drink we still rather like it," She chuckled and Kairi beamed. "I'm glad you've come Kairi. When I saw that picture in the paper, I thought I had died and gone to heaven. My Sherlock, gazing at a young thing with that much emotion. I could barely believe it."

Kairi blushed, "He means a great deal to me."

Wanda nodded, "I know." She sipped her wine delicately and sighed, "I have no illusions of my sons and their capabilities. It was a mixture of over stimulation and sensitivity that lead them both to become who they are, brilliant as they may be. They've had to reign themselves in quite a bit and Mycroft seems to have an easier time with it - though I wish he'd give himself a break now and then." She sighed, "But Sherlock always worried me. Mycroft may think he has his brother beat, but Sherlock has a wider berth of understanding and desire to learn. Intelligence doesn't mean much if you don't have the passion to learn."

Kairi nodded, "I honestly couldn't put that any better an I whole-heartedly agree. Its one of the reasons I love Sherlock, he's brilliant and I always learn something new when...I'm...with...him..." Kairi's voice faded. She had just unintentionally told Sherlock's mother that she loved him. Wanda had heard it as well because she was staring at Kairi, inspecting her with wide, wet eyes.

"Oh, you mean that." She sighed heavily and placed a hand on her heart.

Kairi nodded, clearing her throat, "Erm, yes, I do. I haven't told anyone else," Wanda blinked back a few tears, "Except him of course and that was more of an accident, just like now." She finished uncomfortably.

Wanda shut her eyes and took a deep breath, "Did he-?"

Kairi shook her head and sipped her wine, "No, but I've never asked him to. This is all new to him. I don't want to break his brain."

Wanda chuckled, "Oh, the patience of a saint you have!"

Kairi smiled, "For certain things, yes." She shrugged and Wanda laughed.

"How did he find you?" She asked quietly, a little amazed.

Kairi shrugged and sipped her wine, "I don't know, but there's no turning back now."

Wanda smiled knowingly and they finished their wine in a companionable silence.

Dinner went off without a hitch. They sat and ate and talked, though most of the silence was filled by Wanda and Timothy recounting stories of the Holmes boys growing up and adventuring. Sherlock may have wanted to be a pirate when he was younger, but Mycroft had wanted to be a ballroom dancer.

By pain of death, Mycroft had sworn Kairi to secrecy and she had chuckled along with the rest of the family. Stories were punctuated by frustrated moans or aggressive growls from the mouths of the Holmes boys as their mother described, in painful detail, all of their accomplishments from potty training to graduating college.

Once dinner finished, they gathered into the lounge to sip on their preferred beverages, whiskey for Mycroft, Timothy, and Sherlock, and wine for Wanda and Kairi. Kairi and Sherlock sat by the fireplace together, Kairi's legs curled to her side and Sherlock's stretched out in front of him as he leaned back on his palms, Mycroft and the parents sat in their designated chairs. They began to discuss literature, something Kairi felt comfortable doing since her and Timothy had some shared genre favorites. It was interesting just how amusing the man was, with his wry humor and unassuming intelligence. Though he married a genius, he was no slouch. She could see many of Sherlock's features in their faces and it was amusing to see the same pursing lips on his father or the crinkle of his nose in his mother's smile. Sherlock actually had an origin story, he wasn't carved from marble or grown in a laboratory, he was a man and an interesting one at that.

Kairi cleared her throat after her sip of wine and glanced at Sherlock who nodded his head, "So I wasn't sure if we would be doing gifts or not, but I didn't want to come over empty-handed." She stood slowly, with Sherlock's hand to help her up. She walked over to the front door where a bag was sitting, holding wrapped presents inside, "It really isn't much, but I wanted to thank you all for a wonderful time." She muttered as she walked back into the sitting circle and knelt down, pulling out packages and handing them out.

"I've got yours at home Sherlock. I figured we could open them up tonight when we return." He simply nodded, a little astounded.

Kairi had spent some time trying to figure out just what to purchase the Holmes family, who she assumed had just about everything they'd ever wanted. She went with interesting and sentimental gifts, hoping and praying that she wouldn't be laughed out of their home. For Mycroft, she had found a unique vintage fountain pen which was carved from a dark wood, with burned designs. He actually looked a little scared when she had handed him a gift, not sure how to react.

Once he opened it, an amused glint flashed over his features before he quashed it and replaced it with his stony exterior, "Many thanks Kairi." Was all that he said, but it meant a lot to her that he seemed to smile as he inspected it.

Kairi was nervous while watching Wanda and Timothy open their present. She hadn't spent a lot of money in it, but now that she knew the Holmeses, she figured that the sentiment would actually mean quite a bit to them.

Wanda gasped, holding the item in her hands and showing it to Timothy who grinned proudly. Sherlock realized that his mother was holding a picture frame and cold dread gripped his heart. He didn't recall taking any pictures with Kairi, so he knew it wasn't that.

"What is it?" Sherlock and Mycroft both chimed, glaring at each other a moment before their mother spoke.

"Oh my..." Wanda stood up and handed the frame off to her husband as she knelt down next to Kairi and wrapped her in a very warm hug, "Oh thank you."

Sherlock scowled, flashing a look to his father who held out the frame. Sherlock grabbed it and took a look, groaning as he practically tossed it to Mycroft, who sat up straight, looking shocked.

"I'm sorry boys, but I couldn't resist." Kairi chuckled as Wanda stood and walked back over to a shocked Mycroft to take the picture from his hands.

"Oh I'm sorry, silly old me." Wanda chuckled, wiping at tears, "You've no idea how long its been since I've had a picture of the two of them." She looked a the photo again, "And they're even smiling at each other."

Sherlock glared at Kairi who just shrugged. She had taken the photo a few weeks ago, candidly. She couldn't remember the conversation they were having, but they almost looked like they were having fun - probably trying to tease each other into submission. The end result was a photo of Sherlock and Mycroft facing each other and grinning at one another. It almost looked like they liked each other.

After a couple more drinks and polite conversation, with Wanda gushing over her new photograph which she didn't let out of her sight, it was time to head back into London. With lots of hugs and kisses and promises to visit that would not be kept, Kairi, Sherlock and Mycroft loaded themselves back into the car with left overs, old post from alumni organizations wishing to get the Holmes boys to donate, and a bottle of wine for Lestrade. Sherlock would have canned it all automatically, but his mother preferred he pretend to care. With a base desire to get out of his old home and away from his vivacious mother, he would promise anything to be back in Baker Street, lying in bed with Kairi with nothing in between them.

The ride home was uneventful, peaceful even. Mycroft and Sherlock seemed spent and Kairi was a little drunk. She mostly felt tired as she snuggled into Sherlock and closed her eyes. Sherlock looked down at her, a smile creeping onto his lips as he watched her get comfortable against him and a warm feeling spread through his limbs. It was probably the whiskey he drank with his father, but something was knotting in his stomach as he looked at her.

He took a second to look up, seeing Mycroft staring at them with a confused and possibly jealous tilt to his features. When their eyes met, Mycroft shook his head quickly and Sherlock just sighed, closing his eyes and resting against Kairi for the long ride home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> * * *
> 
> **_A/N_ **
> 
> **_What do you think!? I neeeeeeed to know! This chapter was enjoyable to write and I admit I got some inspiration from season 3 regarding The Holmes family. If you haven't seen it yet do not fret, there's no spoilers._ **
> 
> **_Christmas is not over the Kairi and Sherlock, once they return to Baker Street there will be...things happening ;)_ **
> 
> **_I'm am spent, but I wanted to tell you all that since I've reached 200 follows, I recently posted a one-shot between Kairi and Sherlock, called "How do you like your eggs?" Its on my profile under "The Softer Sides of Insanity" where I will be posting all Kairi/Sherlock one-shots._ **
> 
> **_At this point, I'm hoping to reach 200 reviews or favorites. So I'm thinking that my 200th reviewer will get to give me prompt for a one shot OR they will get a preview of my next chapter before anyone else. Readers choice! If its favorites, I'll ask for prompts from anyone and choose randomly So, please review and let me know what you think! Thank you for sticking with me!_ **


	33. -33-

Kairi woke to Sherlock kissing her cheek gently. She sort of half grumbled and half wiped his lips away from her face in surprise. She felt a little worse for wear after all of her stressing over Christmas with the Holmes' family, despite the evening being incredibly enjoyable, it had still worn her out. She glanced around the car and up to Sherlock who shot her a lopsided grin.

"Where's M'croft?" She mumbled and sat up, wiping at her face and yawning.

"Car dropped him off. He lives minutely closer to my parents than we do." Sherlock replied, unbuckling them both.

Kairi squinted, "You didn't wake me up?"

Sherlock looked at her with an odd expression as they prepared to exit the car, "No, why would I?"

Kairi rolled her tired eyes at him, "I've never seen Mycroft's castle. A person's home tells a lot about them."

Sherlock chuckled as he stepped from the car and reached down to help Kairi who was gathering all of their things bundled in her old gift bag, "You believe he lives in a castle?"

Kairi looked at Sherlock like he was an idiot, "Of course he'd live in a castle. Mycroft, Prince of Darkness." She murmured with exaggerated hand movements.

Sherlock chuckled at her obvious sleepiness as they walked to the steps of 221 Baker Street. She reached into her pocket and pulled out her cigarettes and lighter. Sherlock was ecstatic to see she wanted to smoke as he'd been craving one all day due to stress and lack of sexual contact with Kairi. She lit two and handed one to him.

"So all in all, I'd say the holidays were a success. Wouldn't you?" Kairi blinked hard a few times, finally starting to wake up as the nicotine hit her system.

Sherlock shrugged, exhaling deeply as he looked down at Kairi, "I'd say it wasn't a complete disaster."

Kairi chuckled, "I guess that's as rosy as you'll get then?" Sherlock nodded. Kairi took this moment to huddle close to him in the crisp night air. Without consciously doing so, Sherlock opened his arm so she could nestle in next to him. It shocked him a bit to realize just how natural it felt to have her close by. He wanted to be afraid of it, he wanted to tell himself to wake up and push her away, but in the end, his only desire was to have her near.

"Am I allowed to deduce what you've gotten me for Christmas?" He mumbled against the top of her head.

Kairi shook her head sharply and sighed, "Nope, you have to be surprised like any boring human."

He chuckled at that as he inhaled on the cigarette, "Have you deduced what my present for you is?"

Kairi shook her head, a peaceful smile on her face, "Nope, I'm boring and ordinary."

"Not always." Sherlock smiled wryly and Kairi chuckled, as they stood together for a few more moments, silent and happy, finishing their cigarettes.

As they walked inside, Kairi peeked in and let Appa out of her apartment. She opened the door for him to run outside to do his business and in a few moments he came bounding back in and shot up the stairs in a flash. Sherlock and Kairi just chuckled and followed him up.

They pulled off their coats and Kairi made her way to go start a fire. The room was dimly lit by Christmas lights on the windows that she, Molly, and Mrs. Hudson had put up a week or so ago. As she put in the kindle and firewood, she glanced back at Sherlock who was pacing the floor, deep in thought. "John at Molly's?"

Sherlock nodded distractedly, "Yes, he'll be staying for the evening."

Kairi turned back to the fire, riling it a bit and happy with the results. Appa approved as well, lying down next to the fire to get warm. She patted him gently and stood, stiff from sleeping in the car. She turned sharply and her nose collided with Sherlock's chest as he stood before her.

"Oh!" She chuckled, "You snuck up on me." She ran her hands up his chest and rested them on his shoulders. The fingers of one of her hands sort of trailed along his shoulder then followed the strong lines of his neck, "I should get you a bell so I know when you're coming."

He smirked at her, "I could make an indecent joke, but it belittles my intelligence."

Kairi sputtered, "But you thought of it, pervy-perv. Can't be that smart, can you?"

He silenced her chuckles with a deep kiss, his hands gripping the sides of her face and neck to hold her in place as his mouth took hers in a passionate manner. Kairi groaned against him, perhaps the drinks had made her courageous she thought as she grabbed his lapels and moved him backwards. He was too surprised to react as she shoved him down into his chair. She stood before him, stepping out of her shoes and smiling impishly as she reached under her skirt and he watched her shimmy her hips and lower her tights and underwear. Sherlock watched her with shocked eyes, wide with desire.

She bent forward and climbed on top of him, straddling his hips as she kissed him deeply, reveling in the warmth his mouth provided. His fingers gripped her sides, unsure of what to do other than pull her closer. He let his hands travel to her back and grasp her zipper, pulling it down slowly so he could feel her skin against his fingertips. Their mouths collided, hastily consuming one another as Kairi moved her hips against his and her fingers wound through Sherlock's curly hair. His lips found her neck as she grasped him closer to her, her fingers gripping at his suit jacket to hold him tighter.

Rather quickly, Sherlock unclasped her bra and tugged at the dress, pushing her back so he could yank the fabric away from her skin. He wanted to touch her and taste her in this moment, his desire clouding all other judgement. He pushed the fabric down to her waist and adjusted himself so he could hold her against him as he kissed her neck, down to her breast and pulled an erect nipple between his teeth. With her gasp, he felt his erection stiffen to a dangerous degree, he reached down between them and his fingers found her center, already hot and wet. He growled in pleasure as he pressed a finger inside of her, curling it perfectly within her to make her groan against him. He felt pleased when her hips began to roll against his hand, sliding on top of him and moaning against the top of his head while his mouth focused on her breasts.

She whimpered as her legs shook gently, signaling that her orgasm was imminent. He smiled against her chest and continued to work his finger, sliding another one in and eliciting a delightful moan from her plump, red lips. He bit down a little harshly on her nipple and felt her nails dig into his scalp and they both let out a hiss of pleasured pain as they tried to remain in control.

Kairi chuckled, "Don't think you're wining Mr. Holmes." She added between ragged breaths and he chuckled, looking up at her, the firelight and the christmas lights illuminating her features in an angelic way. He was caught off guard for a moment as she writhed on top of him, her features were pure and unhindered and she stared at him with unadulterated lust and affection. He felt his throat tighten and his fingers quicken. She tried to lift herself away from his fingers, but an arm moved around her waist and held her in position. His face settled between her breasts and he gazed up at her and watched the war raging in her body, desperate for release, but trying to fight him.

He gasped slightly as she tugged his hair, the sensitivity of his follicles making him gasp in surprise, as his neck strained against her grip. She smiled a little evilly then and reached down, holding his hand down as she lifted herself from his fingers. She moved his hand out of the way, still holding onto his hair and her hand traveled back between them and she unbuckled his pants, licking her lips gently as she pulled him from his fabric restraints. He felt himself growl, allowing her to overpower him, letting the sensation of her fingers gently tugging on his member overwhelm his senses.

She stopped and Sherlock opened his eyes and she was smiling again. She took a moment to position herself and slid down on top of him with a high whine that he found almost overwhelmingly enticing. She let go of his hair finally and he sat up immediately, latching his mouth to her breast while his hand attended to the other one. He had a firm grip on her hip as she began to move slowly, tortuously up and down on top of him, tilting her hips to allow him deeper access and an amazing grinding sensation as their bodies came together.

He growled against her, biting and twisting her nipples as she squirmed on top of him, breathing heavily but not making a sound. He looked up to her face which was alive with pleasure, a wide smile on her lips and her eyes closed gently as she savored the sensation of moving on top of him with measured bounces.

Her speed remained slow and she grinned down at a concerned looking Sherlock, "You're exceedingly quiet." He grunted out as she rolled her hips into him.

She smiled again, capturing his lips for a kiss, "I thought you wanted me to learn to be quiet?" She muttered against him, tilting her hips as she lowered herself down, stealing a groan from her detective.

She was surprised when the hand that was teasing her breast, shot up into her hair and yanked her head back, holding her in place as he held her firmly on top of him. She let out a delighted yelp at his ferocity when he pulled her closer and bit at her neck, "When and  _if_  I want you to be quiet, I will instruct you to do so." He snarled into her ear and she let out a tiny laugh. "Until that moment comes," His hand left her hair and the other one joined as he grabbed her arms and forced them behind her back, holding her wrists in place with one of his strong hands, pulling his hips back gently to almost pull out of her, "I would endeavor you to scream for me." He planted his feet firmly on the floor and pulled her arms back tightly as he fisted his hand in the fabric of her dress to provide an anchor and thrust himself deeply inside of her as he pulled her down with force on top of his erection.

She let out an unintentional scream at the sensation, the raw power, his strength, and of course the delicious feeling of him relentlessly thrusting inside of her. He held her in place, leaning back slightly for leverage and observing the bounce of her breasts and he pushed inside of her and forced her down with great speed. She let out a tiny yelp of pleasure each time the tip of him hit her end. Still gripping the fabric of her dress, he traveled along the waistline until his thumb could reach down and rub her clitoris. She almost screamed again when he pressed against the sensitive nub, but it was too much for her body to handle all of the sensations. Her body began to shake and she arced her back with a groan, her breasts pressing forward and her hips tilting to let him pump into her, hitting the exact spot that she needed to come completely undone. She screamed his name, the first time she'd ever really done it, and he released her immediately, wrapping his arms around her as she shuddered against him with an aggressive orgasm that made her ears ring. Her arms went around his shoulders to keep her from falling over as he slowed his pace, instantly changing from the aggressive and power-hungry man a moment before, to a sensuous lover. His lips were gentle on her breasts as he held her close, moving inside of her with long, generous thrusts, grinding his hips when they met with hers. The moans escaping her lips were involuntary, her body felt like a live-wire as he pulled her across the plateau, back onto the brink of another thought-obliterating orgasm. He was her anchor in this moment and she was his. She felt his lips moving across her skin and looked down to see his eyes closed tightly with focus and he groaned into her skin.

Seeing that passion, that focus, brought another wave of pleasure for Kairi and she felt herself tightening around him. He gasped at that, biting her collar-bone as his fingers dug into her skin and he quickened his pace, using the grip he had on her to pull her down on top of him with more force. With a whimper, Kairi felt herself crash against him, stars practically flashing before her eyes as she took in a shuddering breath. She watched him now as he gripped her like a lifeline, his face pressed against her skin and his eyes opened to look up at her in awe. For the first time Kairi saw straight through Sherlock Holmes, pleasure, joy, affection painted on his features as he gripped her tightly and let out a shuddering groan that vibrated through the both of them, signaling his end.

They crumpled into the chair, gripping each other for dear life as they tried to get their breathing under control. Kairi was shaking against him and Sherlock wasn't managing to do much better as he kissed all across her shoulders, up her neck, and littered tiny kisses all over her face. He placed his lips carefully to stop the tears that were falling down Kairi's cheeks as a result from her powerful orgasm. They sat together, connected, pulsing, breathing, and not daring to think as they allowed their bodies to stay as one and melt into each other.

Kairi wasn't sure how long they had stayed that way, but she may or may not have fallen asleep on top of him for a minute or so. She woke to Sherlock's hands on the sides of her face, her sleepy eyes opening barely as she looked up at him, smiling weakly. "Hello." She said lazily and he couldn't help but laugh, which made them both groan as he was still rather hard inside of her.

"Hello." He chuckled and kissed her lips gently, stroking stray hairs from her face.

In that moment, Kairi sat up quickly, a horrified look on her features as she heard the tell-tale sounds of laughter and footsteps thundering up the stairs of Baker Street towards 221B. Kairi squeaked sharply, throwing herself backwards as she tumbled off of Sherlock who jumped up and gripped his pants shut. She pulled her dress to cover her chest and they both laughed like teenagers as the ran towards Sherlock's room, half-clothed and completely indecent. Once they shut the door, they leaned back against it, covering their mouth to keep their laughter in and they heard the door to 221B fly open with Molly and John laughing.

Kairi's eyes widened in horror, "Shit my underwear!" She whispered hoarsely to Sherlock who was trying to stifle his laughter. "Stop laughing! John is going to -,"

"SHERLOCK!" John bellowed and Kairi and Sherlock absolutely crumbled into a fit of raucous laughter, leaning against the door of Sherlock's bedroom. "Damnit Sherlock!" They heard John grumble and they could hear Molly laughing in the background. "Kairi, you absolute shit! Get out here!"

Sherlock cleared his throat and put on a serious face as he looked at Kairi, "We're busy!" He shouted in an irritable voice.

"Yes we can see that!" Molly chimed and Kairi and her began laughing and they could hear John mumbling his distaste.

Sherlock stood, the wide boyish grin on his features as he reached down to Kairi to help her stand, she ran into the bathroom to freshen up and he grabbed some night-clothes for them both and they slipped them on quickly, the state of their previous adorned clothes would have been rude to wear in public.

They made their way out into the front room, John sitting in his chair, Molly in his lap. Both of them were slightly flushed with drink and excitement. Molly had a wide grin on her face as she winked at Kairi and John looked utterly pissed.

"The front room?" He growled at Sherlock and Kairi. Kairi was trying not to laugh and Sherlock had put on his stony expression, "Really?"

They were silent for a few seconds and Kairi put a hand over her mouth to contain her giggles as she went to grab her underthings, "We weren't expecting you home." Sherlock said monotonously.

John looked at Molly, astounded and Molly just started laughing, soon followed by John's chuckles, "I can't believe it. Its like living in a frat house with you and her."

Kairi chuckled as she rolled up her underthings and went to go put them in Sherlock's room. Molly jumped off of John's lap to run into the kitchen and pour them all some drinks. She caught Kairi on her way back and they stared at each other in a knowing silence for a few seconds until they started laughing hysterically, leaning on counters to make sure they didn't fall over.

"My God," Molly chuckled, "You're like teenagers!"

Kairi smiled wide and grabbed the drinks intended for her and Sherlock, "Oh Molly, you have no idea." She chuckled and Molly leaned into her to nudge her with her shoulder, "I guess neither of us really had the adventurous teen-aged years everyone deserves."

Molly just laughed, "Well, it's about bloody time."

They walked back into the front room where Sherlock was sitting in his chair in his pajamas and a dressing gown and Kairi walked past John who was glaring at him. She handed a small tumbler of whiskey to Sherlock and he pulled her onto his lap. Molly did the same for John and they all sat there, staring at each other in amused silence.

"Don't sit there like that," John grumbled, taking a long sip of his drink, "Not with what you two just did. Its making me nauseous."

Sherlock glared at his blogger, "You're sitting like that. Why can't we?"

"We didn't just have sex on top of the chair and leave the house indecent, now did we?"

Sherlock rolled his eyes and groaned, "You don't need to leave the house indecent for me to know where you and Molly have had sex." Molly's eyes widened behind her drink and she flushed with embarrassment. John's eyes narrowed in a threatening way and Sherlock just grinned, "Kitchen, bedroom, against the bookshelf, your chair, and couch." He lifted the corner of his mouth and John's eyes went wide and Molly choked on her drink. "Fair's fair, roomie." He added sarcastically as they glared at one another.

"Ooooookay!" Kairi interjected and stood from Sherlock's lap, "How about instead of talking about where we're all having sex, we open presents!"

John sighed, wiping a hand down his face as Molly still looked a bit horrified, "Yes, let's." He groaned.

Molly and Kairi went over to the tree and Sherlock and John followed. They all sat on the floor, sipping their drinks and joking, trying not to think about who has had sex where. In all honesty, the entire flat was probably well mixed up with foreign fluids and DNA floating about, the only difference from a year ago was that it all belonged to people in the flat at this moment instead of experiments and dead bodies.

Molly and Kairi exchanged their gifts and Sherlock and John did the same. Molly got Kairi a limited edition set of her favorite television series on DVD which Kairi fawned over. Kairi got Molly a trip to a local spa and a gift certificate for her favorite lingerie store to prep for their upcoming weekend away. Sherlock got John a new obnoxious jumper which made John snort, returning the favor with a new deer stalker for Sherlock's growing collection. Kairi got John a new bottle of Four Roses whiskey, an American brand that her father had enjoyed. John got Kairi a gift card to a local specialty electronics store as she had been wanting to upgrade her laptop soon. Molly got Sherlock another soft scarf and Sherlock had gifted Molly a unique painting of a rose he found at a local shop, which she loved because it was her favorite flower. They turned to their partners and went off into their own little worlds.

"No deducing!" Kairi snapped at Sherlock as she pulled her gift from under his tree.

Sherlock rolled his eyes, "What a bore you are." He grinned as he pulled out hers.

They exchanged greedily, tearing at the wrapping paper and smiling at each other as they opened their gifts with child-like excitement.

Sherlock looked perturbed as he inspected his present. It was a chess board made from red oak with individually carved spaces on the lid for a playing field. He inspected the edges, finding a clasp and he opened it, lifting the lid slowly as he peered inside, a wide smile on his lips as he observed the new chess set Kairi had gotten him. Beneath the lid was bright green material with individually detailed slots for each piece. Though the craftsmanship of the box was extremely high quality, he found the most amusement in how unique the chess pieces were. Instead of classically carved bishops and rooks and pawns made of marble or wood, each piece was handcrafted from spent .223 caliber bullet casings. One side was made of steel casings with red oak bases, the other from brass bullets set in black walnut bases. Each piece was crafted with refined cuts, carvings, and curls adorned with unique wood burning techniques. It was an amazingly unique gift that he instantly treasured. He looked up at Kairi as she stared down at his gift with slight confusion.

Kairi looked down at the box in her lap, opened to reveal a simple book and a small jewelry box. First, she lifted the book which was plain and leather-bound with no title or author on the cover and bare of any cover art. She opened to the first page and she gasped at what she saw before her, tears welling in her eyes. In a familiar looping scrawl that was painfully done to be legible, she read:

 

_One word is too often profaned_

_For me to profane it;_

_One feeling too falsely disdained_

_For thee to disdain it;_

_One hope is too like despair_

_For prudence to smother;_

_And pity from thee more dear_

_Than that from another._

 

 

_I can give not what men call love;_

_But wilt thou accept not_

_The worship the heart lifts above_

_And the heavens reject not,_

_The desire of the moth for the star,_

_Of the night for the morrow,_

_The devotion to something afar_

_From the sphere of our sorrow?_

 

 

_-One Word Is Too Often Profaned_

_by Percy Bysshe Shelley_

 

Kairi flipped through the pages quickly, seeing hand written poems from Robert Frost, Shakespeare, Lord Byron, and many more. The pages had sketches in them, of figures with long wavy hair, flowers, scenery that they had encountered throughout their friendship and beyond. Somewhat lewd, yet beautiful drawings of her body and specific features of her face littered the margins beside poems. Not all of them were sentimental poems, some were just contemplative, some brooding and dark, many of them were favorites she'd had since she was in school. She closed the book and gripped it to her chest, letting out a ragged breath that edged on being on sob. She placed it back in the gift box and reached down and grasped the smaller box and opened it, another sharp intake of breath caused her to falter and look up at Sherlock who was blushing and looked nervous. Inside the box was a necklace with a thumbnail sized pendant. The chain connected to the pendant through a white gold Trinity Knot, curving down into a tear drop shape with beautiful carvings along the edges that lead into two hands, grasping a small heart-shaped diamond with a crown resting on top of it. Inside the white gold edgings was a dark green stone that had the pearlescent look of an opal. "Sherlock..." She managed to get out with a tight voice.

He cleared his throat looking sheepish, "Its Connemara Marble set in white gold. I'm sure you know the significance of the Claddagh: loyalty, friendship and..." He said quietly, his eyes shifting to John and Molly who were preoccupied with each other. He glanced back at Kairi who had a hand over her mouth and her eyes shut tight, "Did I -," He paused, swallowing heavily, fear gripping his gut as he watched Kairi crumble slightly, trying to hold in some emotion. By the look on her face and his limited knowledge of emotions, he would have said that she looked devastated. "Did I muck it up? I didn't get John to approve it, it was too...personal for that." He cleared his throat and looked up at Kairi.

She threw herself at him, knocking over his new chess set and causing her box to tumble onto the floor as she wrapped her arms around him tightly, kissing him deeply through her tears. He responded slowly, surprised and unsure, testing her mouth for reception which she gladly offered.

After a few moments, she pulled back, smiling wide and wiping at her face, "I feel like an idiot," She kissed him again and he felt so confused, "This is the most wonderful gift I've ever gotten and I mean that." She hugged him close, pressing her face into the crook of his neck and she felt his muscles seem to unwind beneath her fingertips. "Thank you Sherlock Holmes." She whispered into his ear, "These are precious gifts I will always treasure."

He squeezed her tightly, feeling pleased and proud that she enjoyed his gift.

John and Molly went to bed and Sherlock and Kairi stayed up a bit longer, sipping their drinks. Sherlock sat in his chair, fiddling with his new chess set while Kairi snuggled in his lap, fingering her new necklace and paging through the book he made for her.

It was very unlike him to be so overwhelmingly sentimental, however, Kairi had inspired a very new side of him that he still didn't understand.  _The mind of a scientist and the heart of an artist_ , she had said to him and he felt it resonate inside of him. He could rarely put into words the change in his life that occurred when Kairi entered it. Since his return from the  _afterlife_ , he had felt unsure, unsafe, and confused towards his friends and family. The time he spent away was something he longed to forget, to erase from his hard drive. When he returned from death over a year ago, he wasn't quite sure what to expect. Every part of him that screamed during torture, the empty tears that fell from his eyes during some of his darkest hours, begged for everything to be exactly the same when he returned. Unfortunately, nothing was the same anymore. When he returned to London, he felt like a stranger, lost in a world so shielded from the truth. When he faked his death, he was forced to turn his back on everything he once cared about. In order to fight a behemoth, he had to become a monster. The  _world_  was different,  _he_  was different.

It's not as if his mind was unable to function. He compartmentalized as well as he possibly could and functioned on a level that continued to astound the general population. The dark tendrils that gripped his thoughts were put at ease by this unassuming, caring woman who held his hand and didn't fear him. When he met Kairi she was a force that brought out a fire in him he had not felt in some time. She frustrated him and surprised him and challenged him. She brought back an aspect of Sherlock Holmes that he had thought he lost:  _desire_. This desire, the urge he felt to be what he once was, was almost tainted by his attraction to her, but in the end he found the attraction manageable because his waning focus had returned and sharpened. However there was a nagging sensation in the back of his mind, he felt restless, uneasy, almost sick inside his own skin. Guilt weighed upon him heavily, though he tried to push it away, all of his necessary evils crushed his spirit. He was not a man to feel remorse for his actions, but the things he had done... Not many could sense his unease, except for Molly, she had always been one to see through him and he cherished her for it, but in the end, Kairi didn't know him, she had no expectations for who Sherlock Holmes needed to be, she saw him as he was and she accepted him, like John. In the end, she just wanted him, no matter how splintered and boxed away his mind was. She was a breath of fresh, cool air on a muggy day that threatened to choke him. She was a slap in the face, reawakening his passion for his work and for his friends. If she could look at him, care for him, touch him, and kiss him, perhaps, he wasn't the monster he believed. In the end, he was unable to express this sentiment properly, he didn't know how to form the words in order to tell her just how important she was to him. In this way, with this paltry, clichéd gift, he was able to at least hint to her that there were words that possibly existed to express just how much she made him  _feel_.

Kairi was overwhelmed by Sherlock's gift: handwritten poems, artistic drawings, and jewelry! She almost laughed at how romantic it really was, the obvious dreamer and fantastical man that Sherlock Holmes was in his brilliant mind. She knew that this took a lot of effort for him, he always struggled with expressing his emotional side, especially since they had officially became a couple. She didn't mind in the end, she could see it in his eyes, sense it in his touch, she knew that he felt for her. It wasn't until she got this present and met his family that verified just how much. She didn't expect it, didn't demand it, but she would greedily take whatever he would offer her in the form of companionship. She wanted Sherlock Holmes, surly, passionate, and chaotic; she wanted him in every single way. It was painful.

At the end of the night, after Sherlock thoroughly inspected the chess set and Kairi flipped through her new book over and over again they retreated into the bedroom. Sherlock was halted, almost nervous with her, the rash and powerful man from a few hours before seemed to be hidden inside this small, nervous boy. She welcome him of course, using her words as a quantifiable gesture to tell him how much he meant to her. They went to bed, savoring each other's bodies and the sensations caused by touches and kisses that sent hormonal spikes throughout their nervous system.

After a few intimate and needy sessions, Sherlock felt slightly restless though Kairi was completely spent, dead asleep in his bed and curled beneath his comforter. He left the bed, wrapping himself in a robe and padded out to his front room, inspecting the violin that was leaning on his music stand. He felt a desire to pick it up and play, but he decided against it. He sat in his chair, his gut clenching as he remembered Kairi on top of him, screaming out his name. This surely was not the type of thought that promoted sleep, but he didn't care.

He took a moment to glance around his flat and his eyes fell on the bag that Kairi had brought back from his parents' home. He walked over to it and pulled out the bottle of wine, scowling at it since it was intended for Lestrade. He didn't entertain much jealousy, but the slight tinge of posessiveness gripped him when he recalled that Lestrade's lips had been on Kairi's. He pushed the thoughts away, Lestrade was a very decent man and Kairi belonged to Sherlock. He would not put her through any more despair by being a common, lowly, and jealous male. He placed the bottle of wine back in the bag and The post his mother gave him caught his eye. He pulled it out and inspected it closely, random letters, census type things, and finally a small manilla envelope.

He inspected it closely, frowning at the local postmark and trying to inspect the printed label that was addressed to his parents but titled for him. He weighed the thing in his hands and it felt negligible. The contents did not hint at a bomb or some kind of pathogen he would inhale or get on his skin. It felt light, not the weight of normal paper, but perhaps cardstock. This made him frown. He walked over to his desk and pulled out his letter opener, slicing the letter open and pulling out the contents.

Silence settled in as he looked at the contents, his heart beat frantic in his chest as he flipped through the items inside. With a bellowing rage, Sherlock turned, kicking at the ottoman next to his chair and sent it flying into the wall with an outrageous bang. He threw the contents onto the table and slammed his fist into the wood, gritting his teeth as his chest expanded painfully with labored breaths.

"Sherlock!" John hissed and Sherlock turned, a vicious darkness seeping into his eyes and it actually made John take a step back. "What is it?"

Sherlock shook his head, trying his hardest to quell the rage burning in his chest. He shut his eyes against the vision of John, standing in a dressing gown with his handgun gripped tightly at his side. He refocused, using the calming presence of John to center him and refocus. He could not think about Kairi this moment, not without the rage taking him over.

"Sherlock..." John risked.

Sherlock shook his head and growled, slamming his hand on the table and then turning sharply away from the envelope's contents.

John took this as a sign to walk to the desk and take a peek, gasping as he looked at the desk and what lay on top of it. He turned to see Sherlock, typing in his phone.

"Sherlock, what is this?" John growled, discomfort registering in his gut, "Some kind of sick joke."

Sherlock turned sharply, his jaw taught and his lip in a firm, thin line, "Not a joke, no. A threat." He looked at John with a coldness he'd never felt before and walked back over to the table.

The parcel contained numerous black and white photos, all of them were of Kairi and Sherlock. Some of them from exploits when they were working a case, walking outside, or out with Molly or John. The others, well, the others were the ones that burned Sherlock, the ones that made his chest contract and sting with terror. The other photos were taken from afar, peering through blinds in Sherlock's bedroom. The other photos depicted Sherlock and Kairi, naked, wrapped around one another in passionate embraces. Close ups of Kairi's face in the throes of passion. Angles where Sherlock's head rested between her thighs and she arced up to meet him. All of these photos were of them together in compromising positions. The idea that someone had been watching made Sherlock feel absolutely ill.

He grabbed a letter and turned it over, looking for some indication of where the photo was developed, he did not need public awareness of his bedroom exploits. His eyes widened when he saw a singular capital letter, written in black, permanent ink on the back in the stiff scrawl of a man. He grabbed the photos, twenty all together ranging from the beginning of their relationship, to only a few days previous. He was seething as he flipped them all over, finding letters, four of which were capitalized, the rest lower case. Upon spreading all of the letters out, he closed his eyes tight as his mind began rearranging the letters to form the intended message.

He gasped sharply, leaning against the table to support himself as his heart pounded against his chest and his diaphragm froze, refusing to allow him to take a deep breath and calm himself. He gripped the table, his fingernails digging into wood, sending a screaming pain up the nailbeds and into his brain as he tried to refocus.

John felt his stomach twist, he had never seen Sherlock so full of fear before. Actually, when he thought about it, there was one other time that Sherlock had been that afraid. He felt the air leave his lungs and refuse to come back and his head swam as he took another step closer to Sherlock, clearing his throat, hoping to force the words out, "Sherlock, what is it?" He asked quietly.

Sherlock was silent for a moment, staring down at the jumbled mess of letters and he took in a shuddering breath, finally looking up at John with wet, empty eyes. He gulped slowly, exhaling a shuddering breath, "The message. He's closer. Moran is coming."

John shook his head, "What does the message say?" He ground out, fear causing his voice to crack.

Sherlock exhaled again, his hands curling into fists as a dark look came over his features, " _Moriarty sends his love."_

* * *

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _**A/N** _
> 
> **_Balls...BALLS! Sometimes I even hate myself for where the story takes me..._ **
> 
> **_Ugh...I'm in misery over the coming chapters. Absolute misery. The ending in nigh my beloveds..._ **
> 
> **_Please let me know what you think of this chapter. I tried to explain Sherlock's gift because I know it seems OOC. Well in my head, I think Sherlock is a closet romantic, though he's just romantic about things that aren't related to sentiment. He's the caped crusader, a british batman in all sense of the word. In my opinion, its not that he doesn't feel, its that he refuses to because a lot of it would be overwhelming. I interpret Sherlock Holmes to be closer to autistic than sociopathic, but that may just be me. I'd love to hear your opinions as I don't want to disappoint you dear readers. In the end, Sherlock will not change though his feelings have. It may affect him and he may react differently sometimes, but it is my greatest desire to do justice to Sherlock and my own character. Becoming a soppy romantic, professing his undying love...That wont be happening. I'll ruin it now before anyone thinks I'll go down this route. Sherlock Holmes is perfectly capable of love, but I think he lacks the tools to express it properly._ **
> 
> **_Hopefully that makes sense and I didn't just ruin it...If I have, I'll be tempted into a re-write for this chapter because I want to keep him true. In the end I feel as though I have - or at least my interpretation of his character and what he has gone through. Please let me know what you think._ **
> 
> **_My offer still stands, if I reach 200 reviews or favorites I will be taking a prompt from #200 or offering them up a chance to view the next chapter after 200..._ **
> 
> **_Until laters my Holmies..._ **


	34. -34-

Kairi woke up, warm and comfortable. She rolled over, a little sorely and saw Appa lying in Sherlock's place and she snickered. He would not be pleased to see Appa sleeping in his spot. She stretched leisurely and rolled on to her back, staring up at the sparse ceiling belonging to Sherlock's room and she sighed dreamily. They had quite a lovely Christmas together. She smiled wide and tried not to laugh at herself for feeling so absolutely giddy. She felt like a child with a school girl crush: soppy and romantic and longing. She should have felt disgusted with herself - Sherlock absolutely would - but she was allowing herself a smidgen of normality in her otherwise odd life.

She slowly got up, placing her feet on the cold floor of Sherlock's room and padded over to his closet and pulled out one of his many dressing gowns. It only hit her now how odd it was for a man to own so many different dressing gowns. He barely had as many shirts as he did dressing gowns. It was extremely amusing. She wanted to finger her way through the closet, looking for ascots and pipes and monocles, but thought better of it. Sherlock deserved to have his privacy and she wasn't going to take it away. Even if he did secretly dress like a 19th century Lord.

She cinched a red one around her waist, not bothering to put anything beneath it since she'd be in to shower after starting coffee for the house. She chose the red one specifically, knowing how Sherlock seemed to enjoy the color now. She tried not to giggle as she adjusted it alluringly on her body. Sherlock was probably experimenting or researching and he had an odd habit of only making enough coffee for two, despite the fact that Kairi and Molly usually had some in the morning as well. It was probably a habit left over from years of living with only John. Sherlock never reacted well to change.

Her hair was fluffy and crazed so she ran her fingers through the mess as she exited his room, yawning loudly, and stretching as she padded out to the lounge with a dopey smile on her face.

As she stood in the doorway of the kitchen, her eyes blissfully closed as she remembered some of the more acrobatic moments of the night previous, she reached up and made a tiny squeal as her muscles stretched and her shoulders popped with a glorious relief.

Someone cleared their throat and Kairi's eyes flew open. It did not sound like Sherlock.

Faced with a room full of people, she let out an inhuman groan of absolute embarrassment. As she looked through all the faces, some more familiar than others, but no less disturbing, she felt absolutely sick. All eyes on her, blown wide, shocked, and staring at her, taking in the fact that she was obviously wearing nothing but Sherlock's silken house coat and looking thoroughly fucked.

She smiled awkwardly, giving a tiny finger wave, "Hello!" She tried to sound less desperate to flee than she was. She shouldn't be ashamed of a very human need and interaction between two consulting adults, but God was this uncomfortable. She looked down at her cleavage and cleared her throat as she adjusted the dressing gown to cover just a bit more of her exposed frame.

John and Molly were sitting next to one another, eyes wide and trying not to laugh. Lestrade had Anderson and Donovan on either side of him, all six eyes on her. Lestrade was looking a bit lecherous, licking his lip tentatively, as his eyes raked over her curvy body only hidden by a painfully thin piece of material. Anderson had a very similar look on his face, but it was more shocked, well to be honest, it was absolutely horrified, the implication of a half-naked, wild-haired woman standing in Sherlock's home in only his robe seared permanently into his mind. Donovan just looked pained and embarrassed. Next to them was Mycroft, leaning on a door jamb, looking amused.

It was then, the body closest to her turned and Sherlock's eyes met hers. Her mouth dropped open, looking for something to say, but there was nothing in her mind. She was rooted to the spot and she felt herself flush just about everywhere. It was an inconvenience that her nipples hardened beneath the robe, the damned silkiness so soft, her body automatically heating up and reacting to the frantic adrenaline that surged through her, she couldn't help the odd reaction! Kairi grimaced when she heard a small gasp escape either Lestrade or Anderson's lips. Sherlock's eyes widened, he had enough tact to look embarrassed, swallowing back some emotion as his eyes flicked over her quickly. He raced towards her and grabbed her arm, yanking her back into the kitchen and towards his room, away from the snickers and whispers of someone having a domestic.

"I'm sorry!" Kairi harshly whispered, his grip on her arm vice-like and painful.

He stopped when they were back in his room and he glared at Appa who wagged his tail, thumping against the bed on Sherlock's side. He looked back at Kairi who was quivering with shame and embarrassment, a horrified look on her features as she stared blankly at the wall. He took a moment to peek back out through the hallway, ensuring no one was watching, and he pulled her to him sharply, his lips covering hers with a lush brutality. It took a moment, but she moaned softly into his mouth and he growled deep in his chest which only made her knees weak.

Kairi was somehow able to bring her mind back to the present as she peeled away from Sherlock, who was breathing heavily, his eyes wide and almost frantic. Something was wrong.

"What's wrong? Why didn't you warn me that people would be over?" Kairi said quietly, inspecting his features as she ran her fingers over his cheek bones.

He closed his eyes tightly, fighting something, "I was hoping you would sleep longer." He muttered, more to himself than to her.

Kairi frowned and pulled his face back up to hers, "What's wrong?" She asked firmly and for a moment, fear flickered through his eyes. He pulled away at that moment and his body took on a very different posture. He was stiff, almost cold to her. She took a step back, slightly stunned by such the quick change in his behavior.

"Get dressed and meet me in the lounge. We have something to discuss." His voice was deep, serious.

Kairi nodded and watched him walk out of the room, closing the door sharply.

He went back into the front room where everyone was sitting and took in the entire scene. He was upset by the present predicament. He was hoping that Kairi would end up not being privy to the current situation, which in the end was a foolish assumption. She would have to be apprised of what was happening. He should expect her to be upset with him for not approaching her first. He looked around while everyone pretended to be preoccupied by the information provided and tried to formulate some sort of plan.

Mycroft had been kind enough to share the information he'd gathered on Sebastian Moran, with only minor details of Kairi's past, to the people who were present. Anderson and Donovan were not privy to the gruesome details of Kairi's connection to Sebastian Moran, they had only been told that he had attacked her family when she was younger which resulted in her hospitalization. The information provided the connection between Kairi's father and Moran and was as detailed as it could be; as well as the almost concrete connection between Moriarty and Moran. Mycroft had somehow gotten a photo of the two together, looking conspiratorial and friendly, almost intimate. The hatred that brewed within Sherlock upon seeing the picture was almost uncontrollable. He had broken an Erlenmeyer flask upon the revelation.

He had called in Lestrade and Donovan and Anderson to assist with the case because he wanted Kairi to be surrounded and protected at all possible times. He knew that he could not devote every waking moment to watching over her while cases came and went. She probably wouldn't allow it, insisting people had more important work to do. He did not know when Moran would come after them, but he would not be unprepared, Moran would not have Kairi. Sherlock was determined to see to that.

Kairi walked out slowly, grabbing a coffee cup and filling it before walking back out to the front room. She had put her hair up into a tight bun that perched on the top of her head, her features almost seemed stretched because of it, but the look in her eye denoted that the presence of so many people in her home caused the tautness of her features. Her face was clean of any residual make up and left over sleep, but she looked tired. She was wearing a simple tank top and a button down cardigan of Sherlock's that had been a gift from his mother. She looked nervous, trying to smile as she glanced at everyone in the room.

"Hello again." She muttered to everyone, sipping on coffee. Sherlock walked over to her and took her cup from her, placing it on a nearby flat surface. "Are you going to tell me what's going on?" She frowned at him, speaking a bit testily. His face was stern as he looked at her, absorbing her features with determination.

He nodded slowly and guided her over to the table where photos were splayed across the surface.

Kairi let out a shuddering breath and she fell to her knees with a loud thud as her jean-clad flesh collided with the wood. There were an alarming number of photos spread across the flat expanse, all of them of her and Sherlock. Some of the photos were of them from near the time they first met. Some of them were more recent than others, artfully displaying Kairi's approval of Sherlock's sexual prowess. To lessen the true nature of the lascivious photos, most of them had been edited or cropped of the more detailed interactions. The outright indignation Kairi felt, looking around and seeing everyone avoiding her gaze, made her stomach clench. She gathered all the pictures hastily, pulling them to her chest and shutting her eyes tightly, trying to keep in her scream. Everyone sat back, breathing slowly, nervously, waiting for a more robust reaction.

They saw her shaking, ever so slightly, as she gripped the pictures to her, her fingers digging into her own skin as she took deep breaths, trying to remain calm.

"I  _really_  need everyone to leave." She said calmly, her voice level and soft, eyes still closed, her jaw clenching and her cheek twitching with some emotion.

Everyone pretty much jumped up and scampered from the flat without a word. Sherlock was attempting to step away slowly.

" _Not you_." She growled at him and so he remained in place.

Once the room was clear, Kairi opened her eyes and placed the photos back on the table, taking stock of them all and cringing as she placed each one down with deliberate intention. Once she spread them out she put her face into her hands and let out a sob. Sherlock knelt next to her and wrapped an arm around her, only to be thrown back by her hands striking his chest.

"What is this!?" She shouted at him, tears streaming down her cheeks. "Please tell me I'm having a nightmare and I did  _not_  walk out to see our closest friends, your fucking brother, my previous romantic encounter, that bitch of a detective, and mother-fucking Anderson staring at pictures of us getting off together!" She stood now, walking away from Sherlock as he struggled to stand. "How could you do that? How could you let them see these!?" She screamed at him as he walked closer to her. She put out her hands, shaking her head, "I can't - no - don't..." She grimaced as her stomach seemed to twist, a stabbing pain surging into her chest.

"You don't understand, let me explain." Sherlock began, his voice cold and distant.

Kairi shot him a deathly glare, "You don't get to explain Sherlock!" She growled at him. She pushed past him and pointed at the table, thinking better of it, she slammed her fist against the wood and the pictures fluttered, "You showed all of them our most intimate moments!" She reached out and grabbed the photo that was a close up of Kairi's head arched backwards, her mouth open in a smile and her eyes shut in perfect rapture, "This is my fucking O-Face Sherlock!  _They've seen my O-Face now!_ " She finished in a shrill scream and then flicked the picture at him like a frisbee. He caught it as it hit his chest. He looked down at it, almost longingly, almost lovingly and Kairi felt sick. She turned away and walked over to their chairs, she paused, staring at Sherlock's and then she went and plopped into John's, knowing that minute detail would hurt him. As she curled into herself, wrapping the sweater around her legs and burying her face into the darkness between her chest and knees, she was sad to admit John's chair wasn't nearly as comfortable as Sherlock's.

She heard rather than saw Sherlock kneeling in front of her, every atom in her body shied away from him and desperately wanted to disappear. She felt his hands rest on the sides of her calves and she was sorely tempted to kick him in the face or chest. At this moment, the shame she felt was overwhelming, she wanted him to bleed for making her feel this way.

As if he could sense this, he gripped her legs and yanked them down, making her feet rest on the floor as she faltered forward with her body's sudden change in balance. Her hands shot out and gripped his shoulders for balance and the only thing stopping her from head butting him was the look in his eyes.

Sherlock was enraged.

He cleared his throat, attempting to control the anger welling inside of him and he spoke with deliberate words, "Do you remember the stack of mail I received from my mother?" Kairi nodded at him, watching his features, "These photos and quite a few others were included in a parcel which was sent to my parent's home. All of these photos, including others that were even more indelicate than these, were sent to me as a warning."

Kairi swallowed, her throat was tight and dry and she felt frozen in place, "A warning for what?"

Sherlock stood up and walked back over to the table, picking up a file and slipping out a large 8x10 photo. He walked back over to Kairi and handed her the photo. She took it in her hands and inspected it closely. Written out using the backs of the photos was a very clear message that made her blood go cold.  _Moriarty_.

" _He_  sent you this?" Kairi gulped and looked up to Sherlock whose face was grim, "On Christmas?" She grimaced. He only nodded. "I'd hate to see what he gets you for your birthday." She mumbled crossly. Kairi exhaled heavily, looking back up at Sherlock who looked stiff and uncomfortable. "And you thought it was a good idea to get everyone  _but_  me in on this because...?"

Sherlock shifted uncomfortably, sort of swaying his weight from one foot to the other, "I-," He paused and shifted again, looking at her nervously, with a deep, annoyed frown on his face, "It was wiser to keep you out of the investigation because your reaction would have been detrimental to solving the crime and finding Moran."

Kairi's frown deepened. She stood slowly and walked up to Sherlock and then her mouth widened in a huge smile, "You didn't want to scare me?" Her arms reached out and her fingers gently traced the lapels of his suit, "You're an idiot, an absolute idiot." She shook her head and looked up at him, "But I guess you're kind of sweet in your own alien way."

Sherlock somehow scowled deeper, "Does this mean I am forgiven?"

Kairi scoffed, "You just showed Anderson of all people, pictures of me and you  _in flagrante delicto_... You are definitely  _not_  forgiven. You are the  _opposite_  of forgiven." She scowled at him and then sort of chuckled, looking down at her feet as she gripped his lapels, "Of course you also gave those photos to John," Sherlock scowled, "Mycroft," His scowl deepened, "And now  _Lestrade_." She looked up at him and had to stifle her laughter, Sherlock's eyes went wide and his jaw clenched shut. "I thought you were supposed to be a genius." She leaned in a little more to catch his attention and his glance flickered down to hers, she smiled slightly, "That's your own fault and I should knock you out for giving them wank-ammo."

Sherlock rolled his eyes, "Oh please, do you think they're so unprofessional they would -," Sherlock paused, a bit of shock on his features as he realized just how unprofessional they were. He glanced back at the table, taking stock of how many pictures were laying there and making sure none were missing.

Kairi chuckled, "Well you have to admit, I look pretty good in some of those photos." She got up on her tip toes and kissed him on the cheek and walked back over to look at the photos. Apprehension curled inside of her again, the splinter of frivolity was gone. She felt disgust writhe in her belly and dread gripped her chest and beat her heart against her sternum. She put a hand over her mouth and let out a shuddering breath, "God, Moran took these didn't he? He  _watched_  us?" She whispered, biting down on her lip as she tried desperately to hold in her terror. She felt Sherlock's fingers rest on her hips as he stepped behind her, holding himself closely but not pulling her to him. His body was simply there, providing warmth and comfort. He didn't want to grab her, he didn't want her to feel as caged as he felt.

"Yes." He said simply, watching her mask start to falter. Her eyes became glassy, tears coating them every time she blinked.

"He's coming back." She said quietly, staring into nothing.

Sherlock nodded even though she couldn't see him, "Yes, he is."

Kairi exhaled sharply, her lips quivering as she held onto the remnants of her composure, "He's going to kill one of us, isn't he?" She closed her eyes as she said this, her voice a hoarse whisper. A tear squeezed itself from between her lids and she felt Sherlock's grip on her hips tighten. His mouth lowered to her ear and she could hear him breathing, it was completely even, unbothered by these events.

In his deepest most menacing tone, Sherlock replied, "He can try."

Kairi bit her lip, her tears leaking out and she felt the dam within her chest cave in. All of her anxiety, all of her fear washed over her with an icy tenacity. These photos were not only a warning, but a challenge. Moran was trying to display just how much control he had over them. He wanted them to be fearful, to live stunted lives always looking over their shoulders and waiting for a bullet to grace their brains. She knew it wouldn't be like that though, she knew that Moran wouldn't be so cold as to put a bullet in either of their heads. Her and Moran shared a very dark something special. He was the monster that ripped innocence from a child and Kairi was his first, perfect victim. To Moran, Sherlock was a whole different type of monster. Sherlock had taken everything from Moran. There was no way that Moran would let Sherlock live, there was no way he would leave Kairi alone.

She felt Sherlock's hands turn her and then crush her against his chest, his heart beat and his warmth somehow bringing her back into her own skin. She sobbed against him, gripping his lapels as a life line as her knees seemed to give way, his arms tightened around her, his fingers traveling to her neck as he held her, the pads of his fingers and thumbs grazing her skin, causing her to shiver. He held her tighter and pressed his lips to her forehead. In a whisper, with lips against her skin, Sherlock spoke with utmost certainty, "I will protect you."

Kairi shook her head against his chest, her knees gaining their strength again, "No," She pushed him away and he was so surprised he actually faltered a little bit. "No! The last man that tried to protect me ended up as buzzard food in the desert!" She growled at him and wiped her tears away, "I won't have that happen to you! I can't!" Her eyes went wide and she felt like her insides were liquifying. She stared at Sherlock, beautiful and confused, his eyes searching hers in desperation. Her heart seized, tightening in her chest and causing her breathing to quaver and she took a step back when he reached for her, "No, I can't do this again. I can't lose you like I lost him." She shook her head, digging the heels of her hands into her eyes.

Sherlock took this moment to grab her tightly and hold her in place as she tried to pull away, "No!" Sherlock growled, "I will not be going through this again, Kairi. We've been through enough!" He shouted, "This is no longer a game we will play. I cannot push you away and you cannot push me away. It is not your decision." He spat, almost shaking her to get her to see reason.

She looked up at him, fearful and sad and shook her head, "Sherlock if you died -," She choked back a sob, "Because of me..." She let out a tragic whine, "I wouldn't be able to survive that." She finished meekly through her tears.

Sherlock gulped back his nervousness and straightened Kairi, forcing her to look in his eyes, "If you left me..." It was all he could get out and it was a painful whisper. He stared at Kairi, her eyes boring into his, deep into the expanse of his emotions. He was unashamed at this moment, trying to emote precisely how he felt without words and Kairi seemed to understand. They stood there for a moment, a tear escaping Sherlock's eye as Kairi's breathing normalized. She reached up, thinking about wiping his tear away with her thumb, but she grabbed his head instead, pulling his face to her mouth so she could kiss away the errant tear. Sherlock's breath came out ragged when she did that, her lips fluttering across his face, leaving a trail of kisses over his eyes and cheek bones, as they stood, teetering on the brink of instability and loneliness.

Kairi gently pressed her forehead against his. She let out her last ragged breath and she gave him a weak smile, "Sherlock, I can't lose you." She whispered.

Sherlock struggled with the words that were flitting around his mind and so instead, he leaned in and pressed his lips to hers. At first it was gentle, tentative and curious, plying her lips with his. Her lips parted and he pushed his tongue into her mouth, tasting the salt of her sadness against the heat of her tongue and he felt a growl forming in his chest. A fierce protectiveness was burning within him; her taste, her scent, her touch could not be purged from his mind and he refused to allow it to be taken from his life. In every sense of the word, Kairi was his and he intended to prove it to anyone who dared threaten it.

They locked together for a few minutes, expressing the fear, the rage, and their devotion to one another through their heated kiss. The grasped at each other desperately, fighting off the need to breathe as their lips and limbs tangled together in a frantic desire to just be touched.

They finally surfaced for air with a gasp and Kairi looked up at Sherlock, his hair a mess of disheveled curls, his lips swollen and pink, his eyes dark and heady.

He swallowed slowly, "I'm sorry I didn't tell you first. You had been so free from this..." His voice trailed off and Kairi sighed, leaning into him.

"I wont be free from him," Kairi said, her voice firm and cold, "Not until one of us is dead."

Sherlock held her close, closing his eyes as she melted into him, listening to her breathing deepen and relax. He made a promise then - he'd been making them more and more where Kairi was concerned - that he would stop at nothing until Moran was dead.

"Do you think  _he's_  still alive then?" Kairi said softly.

Sherlock exhaled, "I predicted as much. If I was capable of faking my death, then he would be as well." His voice was stern.

Kairi snuggled closer, though it wasn't entirely possible unless she let Sherlock absorb her like an amoeba, "Well, this time you should make sure. Put a bullet in his brain from a gun in your own hand. Don't let him back out of his appointment with death on this round." She muttered, rubbing her face into his chest. "Men like Moran and Moriarty deserve to die."

Sherlock felt a pang in his chest. His voice felt thick as he tried to speak, "I'm not much different from them." He practically whispered.

Kairi pulled back from him, holding onto his lapels and practically shaking him. Her eyes were wide with fury and her mouth was set in a grim line, "Don't you  _dare_  say that Sherlock. You are  _nothing_  like them." She growled and he seemed to frown and she laughed at him, "Do you honestly think that you're like them?" She hit his chest a little roughly, "Why? Because Moriarty tried to mind fuck you? Because you insult people and find fascination and beauty in the mind of killers? You're an asshole Sherlock, not a psychopath."

Sherlock opened his mouth to reply, but couldn't quite find the words.

Kairi pulled him in for another soul crushing kiss, "You are  _not_  a psychopath. Do you think you could feel whatever it is you feel for me if you did?" She chuckled against his lips, "If you were a psychopath, a true psychopath, you would have told Moriarty to get stuffed and thrown him off the roof yourself. Probably taken over his vast network of crime." Her fingers splayed on his chest, sneaking in between buttons to find skin, "You wouldn't give a damn if I had an orgasm or how I felt about defining our relationship. You wouldn't have tried to console me after my mother attacked me. You wouldn't have come to Thanksgiving. You wouldn't love your parents, John, Molly, your brother -," He tried to interrupt but she dug her nails into his chest slightly, causing him to groan instead, "Don't pretend. You're an amazing, intelligent, and determined individual. You have no need for unimportant emotions like fear and romanticism, but Sherlock, you care. You fight for others, even if those people are a limited few." She pressed her lips to his again, "I love who you are Sherlock Holmes, emotionally distant and fascinated by death and destruction, but you are not a psychopath. You are nothing like the men you've defeated. You may be able to think like them, but that doesn't make you one of them."

Sherlock's fingers splayed across the sides of her head, his thumbs planted firmly on her cheek bones and he tilted her head upwards, "How do you know? How can you honestly believe I'm not manipulating you? Using you?"

Kairi shrugged half-heartedly and smiled at him, "Well are you? I mean, if I'm going to be murdered by a psychopath, I may as well know now if I'm in love with one as well." She gave him a coy grin and chuckled, "Sherlock, you aren't as broken as you pretend to be. You are a deliberate and intelligent man. You allow yourself to feel precisely what you want when its to your advantage or when its something useful, something you covet. I'm fine with being one of those things Sherlock, because you need someone..."

"Why?" Sherlock gazed at her again, confusion etched on his features. "Why do I need you?"

Kairi leaned in and kissed him, "Because you decided to."

* * *

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _**A/N** _
> 
> _**Somewhat of a short chapter. I'm sorry its taken me so long to update. I feel as if I've been somewhat uninspired lately. I had a tough week and its left me feeling pliant and confused and sad. Luckily this week is shaping up to being better, but I still have a bit of a rut going on in my brain so I've been consuming more than creating.** _
> 
> **_I hope you enjoyed this chapter. I'm not sure if I did to the extent of enjoying other chapters. This story is nearing its end..._ **
> 
> **_,O .. O, thats the saddest and most emotionally desperate emoticon I know... or created...in the last 5 seconds of writing this._ **
> 
> **_We are getting close to 200 reviews or favorites... I still have my offer up, if we reach 200, I will give the 200th review an opportunity to preview my next chapter or chose a prompt for The Softer Sides of Insanity. OOOOOOR if it happens after I finish the fic, I will give the 200th reviewer a preview to the sequel...Or a Khan based fic thats been writhing around tortuously in my brain for a few months, lol._ **
> 
> **_Either way, I hope to update soon my lovely readers. If you don't feel like reviewing or sharing then maybe I can ask that you share my lovely fic with some like minded friends. I'm still looking for more critique on my writing since I hope to improve. I adore all of you!_ **
> 
> **_Hart-face you my Holmies and happy february!_ **


	35. -35-

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Rated Explicit for deliciously sexual content

A few days later, Kairi woke up in unfamiliar arms. She sighed in relief when she smelled Sherlock on the silken sheets of her own bed. She adjusted minutely, her face in between the pert breasts of her best friend and pathologist. She glanced up at Molly who was starting to open her eyes and they both chuckled awkwardly, adjusting in each other's arms and providing comfort as they settled against one another to just lay in peace.

Since finding the photos from Moran, Kairi had never been alone for even a moment. Everyone had decided to take off some well-earned holiday time until a little after the New Year to aid Kairi and Sherlock in their upcoming battle. During the day, she was accompanied by Lestrade or John or some armed personnel of Mycroft's and almost always, Molly would end up being around. She was thankful to not be alone this time, to sink into despair and drink to escape the barrage of thoughts on her mind, the fear that gripped her so completely. Sherlock would pop in and out frequently, no doubt on the case as he sought after Moran and possibly Moriarty. Kairi felt her heart slow and go cold each time he left, fearing the next time she would see him would be underneath a white sheet in Molly's morgue.

During the night, Kairi felt like she would wake up to different people encasing her in their arms, sometimes a mouth would land on hers and she'd be brought out of sleep by Sherlock's hands. Though, it wasn't entirely true. It was mostly Molly and Sherlock who would switch in and out. The idea of Lestrade sharing her bed was laughable to her and probably detestable to Sherlock, so no, only Molly and Sherlock had shared her bed - both for entirely different purposes.

She would fall asleep with one of them, only to wake up the next morning with the other. Usually when Molly was around, there was one other sleeping in her front room. No one was taking Moran to be anything less than serious. Lestrade and John seemed to be taking shifts on the couch. She had offered John to share the bed with her and Molly but he had declined, admitting that it was too much pretty in one bed and the girls wouldn't be able to control themselves with him around. She was glad to have John, his wry humor in the darkest of times always put a smile on her face. Molly was nurturing and comforting and always good for a laugh. Lestrade was strong and serious, keeping her comforted in the way an attractive, maybe adopted brother, only can.

She should feel bothered that she was in Molly's arms and not Sherlock's, but she could feel how tense Sherlock was the night before, how far away he'd been since he had professed his need for her. She understood why he was distancing himself, why he was focusing on the case. Sherlock believed no one else could possibly find Moran and Moriarty, not even his brother who almost always had a constant watch over them all. He was aflame from both ends at this point, burning harder and brighter with each step he took. The few moments he allowed himself solace had been stolen moments with Kairi, kissing her on the staircase or pulling her into the darkened hallway of 221B to press his body into hers in a heated rush. If not for all of the death and terror, Kairi may have found it all quite exciting.

Coming back to the present moment, wrapped up in Molly, she was happy to feel so comfortable with another woman. Over the past few months, since her entanglement with Sherlock, Kairi had found such peace with the unassuming pathologist. Molly was what a sister should actually be like. It wasn't any fault of Heather's that Kairi found familial solace in the arms of someone she wasn't related to. Heather, probably just as much as Kairi, understood that they'd never fit together like that. Molly, John, Lestrade, Mrs. Hudson, and especially Sherlock, they were all of her family; as broken, toiled, and blackened as they were, they belonged to one another, finding peace within the common sadness. Almost as if she sensed this, Molly's arms tightened around Kairi and she exhaled a deep sigh.

Finally braving to speak, Kairi whispered into Molly's neck, "I'm so scared Molly."

"I am too," Molly started, running her fingers through Kairi's hair, their intimacy over the last few weeks had intensified, showering each other with physical and emotional affection that wasn't always doled out by their male counterparts. "But we have to trust in our friends. Sherlock will never let anything happen to you."

Kairi shut her eyes tightly, trying to fight the urge to flee from her home and run away and never return to London ever again. She inhaled deeply, the scents of Sherlock lingering on her sheets, Molly the most potent because they were skin to skin, and even the faintest scent of John on Molly. It made her happy. It made her feel calm.

"I trust him. Implicitly." Kairi muttered and snuggled into Molly who brought her closer, "I'm just scared."

She felt Molly nod, "And you have every right to be, but if there is anyone you can absolutely trust to solve this madness its Sherlock and John."

Kairi nodded, "I know. I just worry for them too. If anything happened to them..."

Molly shushed her, hearing the unsteadiness in Kairi's voice she couldn't hide, "Remember they have not only Scotland Yard behind them, but Mycroft and his merry band of spies. If anyone is almost as protected as you, I'd say its Sherlock and John. Moran and Moriarty chose the wrong enemies to make."

Kairi felt herself swell with pride, the fierceness of this frail women curled around her made her heart beat steady and her muscles almost surge back to life against the dread that threatened to cripple her.

They heard a knock on the door and they both looked up, still wrapped around one another as the door opened and Lestrade walked in, grinning widely holding up his camera phone as he snapped a picture.

"GREG!" Molly and Kairi both screeched at him, laughing as he chuckled heartily.

"Don't worry loves, this is for my private collection." He winked as they both groaned and gestured to him rudely, "I've got to be going, but one of Mycroft's men in just outside. More than likely he's got about fifty out there, hoping either Moran or Moriarty rears their ugly head for enough time to put a bullet it in."

Kairi and Molly pulled the covers over their heads, "Delete that photo, NOW!" Kairi growled and she heard Lestrade chuckling.

"Not on your life darling." He was being awfully cheeky for so early. Kairi and Molly shared a snicker beneath the blankets as they looked at one another, feeling like children in a pillow fort. "Oi!" They heard him grumble and then pulled the blankets down from over their heads.

"I don't believe John or myself would very much appreciate you holding on to such a lascivious picture of our..." Sherlock paused as his fingers danced across Lestrade's phone screen deleting evidence, "Girlfriends." He finished uncomfortably.

Lestrade chuckled when Sherlock handed his phone back, "You saying that word is worth the loss of the picture. Cant wait to spread that around." He smiled and nudged Sherlock on the arm as both Kairi and him shot Lestrade a dark look. He winked at Kairi and put his hands up in defeat, "I know where I'm not needed." He chuckled.

"Or wanted." Sherlock growled with vehemence and Lestrade just laughed as he waved his goodbye and left Kairi's flat.

Kairi and Molly looked at each other with raised eyebrows and laid back down into the bed with a huff. They heard Sherlock coming closer to Kairi's side of the bed and Molly was looking over Kairi's shoulder at him with an odd expression on her face. "What are you doing?"

Kairi rolled over to look up at Sherlock, just as he pulled his own phone out of his pocket and snapped a quick picture.

"HEY!" They both screeched, pulling the blankets up around them and Kairi tossed a pillow at him.

He faintly smiled, hitting the pillow away before it came into contact with his head.

"You best delete that." Molly growled.

Sherlock's face went to stone as he addressed her, "I need it for... research." He said with a dim glint in his eye which made both of the ladies grumble, "I've just sent it to my compatriot. I believe a most exhausted yet anxious doctor is awaiting you Dr. Hooper." He rose an eyebrow and his eyes went a little cold, "Upstairs."

Molly glowered at him for a moment, biting her lip to keep herself from smiling as she glanced at Kairi, "Think its safe to leave you here alone?" She joked and Kairi just chuckled.

"I advise it would be in your best interest to leave, unless you have a burning desire to rediscover the anatomy of the living human body during sexual intercourse." Sherlock said flippantly.

Molly's eyes went wide and Kairi looked horrified as her palm slapped to her forehead, "God, I'm sorry." Kairi whispered.

Molly gave Sherlock a cruel look and then flashed her eyes back to Kairi in a flirtatious manner, "Or we could kick him back out and we could study each other's anatomy." She waggled eyebrows at Kairi who very much knew that her relationship with Molly was platonic so Kairi smiled wide, putting on her best sultry look.

"That doesn't sound half bad." She flicked her gaze to Sherlock who was now staring at them, his brow furrowed and his eyes blank and seemingly empty. He was lost somewhere in his mind palace. "What do you think Sherlock? Care to share?" She was trying to desperately to hide her smile and Molly almost broke Kairi's resolve when she dragged a finger up Kairi's bare arms.

His eyes seemed to refocus on Kairi, painfully attentive to Molly's finger now trailing up her arm. A dark flash changed his eyes instantly, making them stormy and almost grey, "I don't share well Dr. Hooper." His voice was deadly low.

"You thought about it though." Molly arched a brow and Kairi looked over her shoulder back at the pathologist and they finally broke into fits of laughter, falling back into the bed and giggling wildly.

The dark look on Sherlock's face faded as he watched them with confusion. Kairi cackled madly while she held her midsection and Molly seemed to cover her face with her hands while her legs kicked out a little wildly beneath the blanket. Sherlock felt annoyed, "Molly." He growled.

Molly uncovered her now pink face and took a heaving breath to calm down. She sputtered a bit when she glanced at Sherlock and saw how annoyed he was, but she just smiled at him and nodded, "Right, well, exit the room then, I'm only in my knickers."

Sherlock looked surprised, realizing he hadn't known what Kairi and Molly were both wearing beneath the blankets. Molly was wearing a tank top of some sort, since he could see the straps, but he couldn't - nor did he want to - discover what was on her lower half. He glanced at Kairi who had the thin straps of one her more comfortable tank tops peeking above the covers - it was a light pink, almost sheer, silken material that he favored because of the simple factor of it being barely there. He felt his face flush at the thought of them barely clothed and entwined in one another, images that had not graced his mind since he was a hormonal teenagers began to barrage his mind. Most nights, he entered in the dark or left in the dark and didn't see what they wore to bed - not Molly at least and in most cases Kairi was stripped within seconds so he could find peace within her touch.

Molly gave him an off look, "Go on!" She shoo'd him and he was brought back to the present. He turned sharply and stood in the other room, waiting for Molly and Kairi to dress. A moment later, Molly emerged, bundled in one of John's old sweaters and a pair of worn pajama bottoms and fuzzy slippers. She gave him a coy, teasing glance as she walked by him, winking. His cheeks colored as she walked away, chuckling at him. Sherlock was taken aback for a moment: Molly Hooper, a vivacious and indulgent tease. He smiled slightly, happy to see that her and John were well suited. She had managed to grow a spine after she helped him fake his death, but more and more she was not just stronger in presence, but actively speaking her mind and blooming under the good doctor's affections.

He was brought out of his reverie by a small blonde standing next to him and clearing her throat. She leaned against her door jamb, wearing nothing but the thin tank top and a pair of lace lined under things. He felt his throat practically swell shut, making it impossible for him to swallow the torrent of saliva forming in his mouth as he took her in with great hunger. Her skin was smooth and pale, pinked only slightly by the laughter and warmth of sharing her bed. He took a step closer to her, the predatory grin he could feel on his lips was reflected by her mouth as she stepped backwards, around the door jamb to lean fully against her bedroom wall. He felt his blood begin to spark slightly, her nipples hardened under his roving stare and he felt himself chuckle deep within his chest, knowing that she'd already be slick with need. She crossed her arms over her chest defiantly, playfulness gleaming in her eyes though she was trying to remain non-chalant under his consuming glare. His grin widened into a full smile as he walked closer, using his imposing, fully-clothed, form to make her feel small and vulnerable. It was a game they both enjoyed playing.

He traced a finger along her collarbone and noticed the very slight shiver she tried to hold back. He hummed his approval as he watched her pupils dilate and he caught the tenuous scent of her growing arousal. He couldn't help baring his teeth in a very gentle, teasing smile.   
"Should I feel threatened?" He asked playfully, looking into her eyes and he noticed the increasing effort it took for her to keep such a coy smile on her lips. He stepped close enough to corner her and feel heat radiating off of her skin, but not close enough to touch.

Kairi swallowed heavily, another hint at her unease, "By Molly?" She bit her lip with a grin, engaging in the face-off he provided, "Possibly." She shrugged, "She's got those small, yet strong and dextrous doctor's fingers," Kairi recounted, licking her lips gently, "Her breasts would fit perfectly in my hands, though mine might be a bit generous for her. I'm sure those surgeon's hands would become very accustomed to them." She unfolded her arms, letting her barely restrained breasts be free to his gaze again. As if to demonstrate, she traced a finger down the center of her chest, following it with her other hand, splaying out her fingers as they brushed very slightly across her own nipples through the practically sheer fabric. She moaned lightly for show - despite that knowledge being painfully aware to Sherlock, the noise was still pleasant as he enjoyed the unique sounds he could rip from her lips. Taking a moment to glance up at Sherlock, she smiled with satisfaction, the hardness of his features made his barely contained lust obvious, "Our fingers are small though, we might need to use more than just one or two." She blinked slowly, her voice soft and laced with promise. She fluttered her eyes closed for a moment, "We might even need to augment the experience. Maybe experiment with a few analogs." She bit her lower lip as she looked up beneath thick lashes at Sherlock who was still grinning at her darkly, "I bet she'd taste very sweet, maybe as sweet as me, but its hard to tell when your mouth taints the experience." Her hands trailed down her stomach and brushed over the front of her underwear. Sherlock's breath hitched violently watching her fingers gently press into her folds, bending the fabric to her will as a single digit graced against her, if only for a brief second as she dragged them away. Kairi smiled with a cunning grace as Sherlock's eyes went vibrantly blue around his blown pupils, feeling as if she'd won this round despite being pinned against the wall.

His eyes flicked across her skin, fire and ice all at the same time, hell bent on consuming her completely. He smiled, almost disdainfully as he leaned in closer, his lips ghosting across her skin, barely touching and he inhaled deeply at the base of her neck causing Kairi to arch her back away from the wall ever so slightly, yearning for his touch.

"You're covered in Molly's scent." He stated flatly, letting the tiniest hint of anger taint his voice. He stood up to his full height, glaring down at her as he removed his heavy jacket and tossed it aside. He placed one finger beneath her chin and lifted it sharply, making Kairi's jaw clench, "That simply wont do." He finished darkly and Kairi felt her resolve crumble at the timbre of his voice. She had to fight to keep her eyes from rolling into the back of her head as a moan snuck between her lips. Sherlock gave her a smug grin and she wanted to say something scathing.

He knelt abruptly, surprising Kairi with his speed, pushing up her shirt as his mouth attacked her soft and smooth abdomen, nipping at her hip bones and causing her to gasp. His hands reached up, underneath the embarrassingly thin material of her sleeping shirt and grasped her breasts, holding them firmly as he twisted the erect nippled between his fingers, causing her to groan and clamp her legs shut for need of friction. He smiled against her stomach, his tongue trailing along her skin as he dragged his downs down, infuriatingly slow for Kairi's liking, hooking his fingers in the sides of her underwear as his hands continued the path down, taking the garment with them until they pooled around her ankles. His mouth never left the skin of her stomach and hips, perhaps straying momentarily to bite at the flesh of her thighs. Her breath was coming out strenuous and ragged and he let his lips lead him towards the scent that had been driving him mad with carnality. Her legs were still held together and he smiled as he kissed the apex of her vulva, letting his tongue dart between the folds to taste her heat. She let out a strangled yelp when his tongue dragged across her hidden clit. His hands busied themselves, digging his fingertips into her skin as he slowly pulled them up her ankles and calves. They moved inward now, without removing his mouth from her delicious wetness, his hands gripped her behind the knees and he dipped himself gently, forcing her harder against the wall as he lifted her legs and planted her thighs firmly upon his shoulders.

Another yelp came from her lips and he glanced up at her for a moment, to see her eyes shut and her breasts, uncovered and heaving, press forward as she arched her back from the wall. He smiled into her wetness and used his grip to force her hips forward, undoing the bend in her back and curving her against his mouth, using his tongue and lips to torture the flesh at his disposal, he refocused on the task at hand.

His hands were planted firmly on her buttocks, his fingers gripping the soft flesh that tensed and vibrated under his grip. He listened attentively to her moans as his tongue darted out, pressing into her entrance. Feeling the muscles tighten around his tongue elicited a deep growl from his chest and he pushed further until Kairi let out a scream that seemed to shatter her to pieces. She tensed around his tongue and he chuckled against her when he tasted the culmination of his work, drenching his tongue and lips. He graciously drank it up, his mouth unrelenting as every breath coming from her lips came out as a strangled cry as he suckled on her clitoris. He continued his assault as she shook all around him, mewling noises coming from her mouth. Keeping her balanced upon his shoulders, one hand moved upwards and pinched a nipple between two fingers and he barely had time to relish the feeling of her breast in his hand before she let out a choked sob as she came again, almost collapsing on top of him as her fingers gripped his hair.

He sat back on his knees slowly, letting his mouth kiss up her body as he let her legs fall slowly from his shoulders and down his arms with the aid of his hands. He rested on his calves now as Kairi slid down the wall to rest in his lap and he took her mouth without mercy despite her whining moans. He let her sit, straddling him, as his hands unhooked from her legs and moved slowly up her body, letting his palms graze her nipples as he progressed to fist his hands in her hair, commanding her mouth for his own purpose, "I want you to taste yourself on my mouth, on my tongue." He growled against her, forcing his tongue into her mouth as she moaned against him, her body shaking and almost naked against his finely pressed suit. "I must insist it it the finest taste I've come across in my entire life." He whispered against her lips. One hand trailed down her body again, making the same stop before, until she felt his hand press against her vulva, dipping two fingers into her, savoring the heat for a moment while he coated his fingers with her orgasm. She whined slightly, her eyes barely open as he withdrew his hand slowly and brought his fingers to her lips, tracing one wet digit along her bottom lip, coaxing her mouth open. Her eyelids fluttered as he pressed his fingers between her lips, feeling her tongue swirl around his fingertips, "Now how does it compare?" He asked, feigning innocence in his tone as she trembled against him. He hummed his displeasure, "I assume we will need more data for this to be an accurate comparison," He pressed his lips to hers as her breathing regulated, "Alas, I must admit its a trial for another day." She whimpered in desperate thanks at this and he wrapped his arms around her as they exchanged a fervent kiss.

When her breathing calmed and their kisses waned, Sherlock pressed his lips to her cheekbone, his mouth finding its way to her ear, "Are your legs too weak?" The voice was gentle but Kairi felt like it tore through her body, "I greatly wished to take you in the shower." She whimpered something that could have been assent as she nodded her head.

"Please." She managed to get out and he smiled as they shifted and got to their feet.

He hastily removed Kairi's shirt, her limbs still rather slack after two powerful orgasms. She padded into the bathroom some sex-minded zombie as she turned on her shower and Sherlock disrobed with each step behind her.

He helped her into the shower and began washing her with gentle hands. His fingers would ghost across her most sensitive spots, teasing her relentlessly as the suds made them both slick.

Kairi felt as if she were in a haze, possibly a dream as his powerful fingers touched every inch of her body. When he was done with his attentions he guided her into the spray and she turned slowly, rinsing the soap from her limbs. She watched him, staring back at her as he gave himself some minor attention. Suds coated his pale skin, making him shine in an ethereal light in the sunshine that crept into her bathroom from a window. His dark hair was slicked back now, his face the focal point, jagged and breath taking as water dripped from his wet brow. His eyes were black still and she continued to stare as his hand went down and gripped his erect penis in his strong hand. Kairi bit her lip, watching his face begin to crumble as he stroked himself gently, using the soap on his hands to help his grip slide over him fluidly.

Kairi watched him, letting her hand trail down the sides of her breast and come to rest between her thighs, testing the sensitive skin and biting her lip to keep from making a sound. She let her eyes meet his and he smiled at her in a very sinister way, removing his hand from himself as he stepped forward. Kairi went to move, she wished to wrap her arms around him, but he stopped her, holding her hand in place with his own. He spun them slowly, pulling her tightly against him, both of their backs to the spray, Sherlock's broad shoulders shielding her from the brunt of the spray.

He wrapped his arms around her, pressing his erection into her back, letting his hands trail down her arms to meet her fingers against her clitoris, "I know how you enjoy to be touched by me." He whispered against her skin, "I am eager to know how you touch yourself." His lips and breath raked up the skin of her neck, until his lips pressed against the scapha of her ear, "Instruct me." He murmured, the rumble in his chest rippling through her entirely, enough to make her crumble right then and there.

She did as she was told, touching herself and allowing Sherlock's hand to mimic her movements as they rested above hers. She varied in pressure and speed, making small circles with three of her fingers pressing heavily on the sensitive nub. She gasped, leaning back against him, closing her eyes and relishing in his presence, his heat, and his breath tickling the skin of her neck and shoulder as he watched their hands move in symphony against her skin.

The intimacy of this simple action, of Sherlock asking for instruction, to be showed how she enjoyed to be touched, was overwhelming her. She felt tears prickling at her eyes hoping the shower would hide the indiscretion of her emotions. She felt his hand squeeze at her hip as their hands moved quicker over her. She reached for his other hand, entwining her fingers with his ash she pulled them down her hip, across the expanse of her lower abdomen and brought them between her thighs, widening the gap to fit them together. She brought his fingers to her opening, guiding his finger that was fitted against her own, inside. She rarely did touch herself, fingers being too small and arms being short made for a frustrating experience, but she guided Sherlock anyway, feeling his finger, with her own press into her. Though she didn't get very far, the sensation of them both feeling inside the ridges of her was enough to make her shake against him. He curled his finger around hers, edging her as far as comfortable while he searched for the one spot that drove her into oblivious. The sensuous nature, sharing this intimate act, made her legs quiver.

"Sh-Sherlock..." She managed to get out.

"Enough." He growled and bit the cartilage of her ear, causing her to gasp. She almost growled at him when he linked his fingers between hers and pulled her hands away from their work. She was surprised when he pushed her hands against the wall, holding her there, flat palmed, with his hands forcing hers into place. He nudged his knee between her leg and she widened her stance. She felt his chest lean into her back and she felt his mouth on her ear again, "Don't move your hands." He commanded and she obeyed, trying to get a grip on the tiled wall. His hands snaked down her arms, across her back with splaying fingers that dug into her skin in a delightful way. His hands finally reached her hips and he gripped the bones, pressing the tip of his penis along the length of her folds, rubbing precariously against her clit and making her growl. He seemed to sigh, disappointed in her lack of humor for the situation, "Very well." He drawled, letting one hip go as he reached his hand between them and parted her folds, allowing him to slip in effortlessly, eliciting a cry from Kairi's lips and a growl from Sherlock's chest.

They stood together for a moment, Sherlock gripping one of her hips while the other hand strayed to her back raking his paltry nails across her skin and causing her to shudder against him. His eyes rolled back for a moment, feeling her shudder from the inside. It was a feeling he wished to replicate ad infinitum. His eyes traced up the skin of her back, watching closely as her muscles rippled in anticipation for him to move against her, but he stayed still, watching her ribs expand and roll beneath her skin, watching the water form droplets, rolling along her spine to where they joined. His hand traveled up her back and moved her hair out of the way, gripping the base of her neck in his strong hands like a cat in heat would bite down on its mate. He began moving, slowly and she groaned with the sensation, her breathing, deep and shuddering, in time with each languorous thrust. He watched, her forehead pressing against the tile wall and she tilted further for him, opening herself for deeper thrusts and he hummed an approval in his throat, coming out as a thick moan between his lips. She stayed there, almost prostrate to him, but it was he that was worshipping her.

He couldn't help his hips' involuntary movements, pacing themselves quicker as he listened to her breathing sharpen and come out in gentle whimpers as he reached her end and withdrew to almost his full length.

Gripping the back of her neck, his fingers graced the base of her hair, pushed to the side so he had access to her skin, but he couldn't fight his fingers as they urged closer to the wet plait that was over her shoulder. He gripped it tightly, wrapping it around his hand and he yanked it backwards with just enough force to cause Kairi to cry out.

He bent forward, adjusting his angle and she whimpered loudly again, her fingernails trying to find purchase against the stone. He smiled, "Take your hand, make yourself come." He growled, tightening his pull on her hair and she removed one hand from the wall, Sherlock moved his hand to support her, to add more to her balance as he placed his hand on her lower abdomen, as her fingers disappeared between her thighs to tease the aching bud that was begging for release. She whined slightly, applying pressure as Sherlock moved within her at a gruesome speed.

With his hand pressed against her abdomen and the angle of penetration, the hand resting on her stomach to detect the faintest movement of his powerful thrusts inside of her that elicited nonsense from her lips. He grinned, holding her in place with a palm pressing against her abdomen and a hand fisted in her hair as he pumped inside of her, relishing in her heat, in her softness, the water from the shower empowering the scent of their lust, causing him to lose himself entirely in her presence.

With a scream, something akin to Sherlock's name, Kairi came, the powerful heat that had been building and coiling within her like a snake had finally been pushed to far, striking out and sinking its teeth into her soul, pulling tears and sighs from her lips as she shook around him, squeezing him tightly and ripping his orgasm from his control with her name on his lips, not muttered like a curse, but held in adoration, like a prayer.

She felt Sherlock's hand unwind from her hair and she heard to against the wall of the shower, holding them both up with muscles on the brink of exhaustion. Kairi tried to lean fully against the wall, but Sherlock wouldn't let her move. He relished in the muscle spasms, contracting around him, pulsing through him, he always wanted to experience every aspect of Kairi's body until the end. She felt his hand on her stomach and he pressed against her, on both sides and Kairi let out a gasp at the sensation. She knew that if she looked at him, he would be smiling, and she knew, more than anything, that he would continue, stealing one more glorious fall from his temple, her body. He did it again, applying pressure and holding it there and Kairi squirmed against him with a moan, only causing more friction, only finding more pleasure within her exhausted form. He moved again, spent, but hard inside of her, tilting his hips and she shuddered, her legs quaking violently.

"One more." She heard him practically whisper, "Please, come for me one more time." He punctuated each word with a grind of his hips and Kairi found herself unable to resist his voice and body. She shouldn't be surprised really, but another orgasm rolled through her, elongating itself with each spasm of her body and Sherlock ground his hips against her, keeping himself deep inside of her while pressing against her abdomen to allow for more friction, more delicious sensation. The sound that came from her, seemed to erupt from her, almost violently, pulling itself slowly from her lips as Sherlock held himself in place. Letting his head fall back, with eyes closed, relishing in the way her body clung to his in every aspect of the word.

He removed himself slowly, eliciting a broken sob from Kairi and a painful groan from Sherlock. He wrapped an arm around her waist, keeping her from falling over as both of their legs felt weak and dangerously close to giving out. They stood in the lukewarm water for a moment rinsing themselves quickly, Sherlock aiding Kairi in her pathetic attempts at movement.

He retrieved a towel and wrapped her up and sat her on the closed toilet seat and proceeded to help her dry herself. She smiled at him, bashfully, sated and calm. He returned her grin, a genuine smile from him as he felt the same.

He stood to dry himself and when he finished he knelt down, placing a hand against her cheek. "I'm sorry if I was too-," He paused as she leaned into his hand, closing her eyes and smiling, "Enthusiastic in my attentions."

Kairi chuckled, "God that's putting it lightly." She opened her eyes slowly and stared at him so lovingly it made his heart clench.

He smiled at her, almost painful in accepting of her affection, "Each day that passes makes me more eager to ensure you are mine. To prove it, not just to Moran or Moriarty or even Mycroft..." He paused, taking a breath, "But to myself."

Kairi nodded, "Always." She said softly, leaning into his hand a little heavier, seemingly like she might drop at any second.

"Pardon?" He asked and her eyes opened slowly.

She chuckled, "Always. I'm yours. No matter what." She turned her face and kissed his palm and the sensation of her lips against his palm shot through him like the most violent of electrical currents. She seemed unaffected by her words, aloof almost, so common place in her mind and her heart that they didn't bother her anymore. They were an inalienable truth within her. She was Sherlock's, nothing could change that.

"Always." He tested the word on his tongue and it didn't sting, it didn't taste sour like romance or sentiment. It tasted sweet. It tasted right. He stood abruptly, reaching down to Kairi to help her stand. "Come, I require rest."

Kairi chuckled, leaning against him as her legs were still quite shaky. He wrapped an arm around her tightly, "I'm sure you do." She smiled up at him, "Don't tell me to come anymore, I honestly don't think I could take it." She joked and he looked down at her a little horrified. She shook her head, "I'm kidding Sherlock, but seriously, let me rest. You've attacked me every single night since the photos... Sometimes during the day when I believed you to be God knows where. I love you dearly, but I've had more sex in the past few days than I've had in the 28 years leading up to it."

Sherlock chuckled, holding her closely as they rounded the bed and he helped her lay down naked. He curled around her shortly, pulling her body against his and instantly feeling the oxytocin coursing through his veins making him feel comfortable and happy. He closed his eyes, resting his nose against her hair and breathing her in, calming every fretting synapse that called for attention in his brain.

Faintly, Kairi felt so content, so utterly happy and self assured lying in the arms of Sherlock, her eager and attentive, insatiable lover. There was a part of her, one locked back inside the recesses of her mind that was screaming at her, begging her to wake up.

Kairi's life did not lend itself to happiness and contentment.

The axe would drop and it would drop soon.

In the darkest pit of her mind, as she drifted to sleep, comforted perfectly by Sherlock's warm and the scent of his breath curling around her cheeks, Kairi didn't know who she could sacrifice to be its victim.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *writhing*
> 
> *dying of sexual frustration*
> 
> *groaning and writhing and dying and dying again*
> 
> God damnit that might be my favorite sex scene ever...EVER
> 
> So... I hate to be honest with you - though if you'd like to remain ignorant you can totally just skip to the next chapter (when its up) and hate me later - this will be a turning point in the story. The ax is falling ladies and gents (are there gents? I'm just curious).
> 
> The next few chapters will be dark... I'm talking darker than His Last Vow... I'm talking...yeah...just darker. The ending will be "happy" but not what everyone is expecting. I feel like I have to explain that the story took me in a particular direction. I could change that direction, but I feel as if I'd be doing a disservice to all of my characters by doing that. This story line is the foundation and the backbone for a relationship between Kairi and Sherlock (THEY ARE REAL TO ME)... Sherlock's life will never be filled with roses and puppies and I don't think any woman he would dare be with would have a life as such either. I think in terms of a Happy Ending for Sherlock and Kairi, it will come...Just, not probably as you expect it.
> 
> I've been wanting to do a sequel, but I've been thinking more and more about just taking this story further than the eventual end of conflict with Sebastian Moran. In that case, Sandman would come back, and another plot twist I have set up for my second story arc would emerge, but this would mean between 15 and 20 more chapters... Sooooo...I guess I want to hear from you and know what you want to see. If I write a sequel it will take longer, but issues will be resolved and a Sherlockian Happy ending would ensue. If I keep all of it in this single story, then it will probably be shorter with less fluffy scenes, less overall character development, and not too much action, but driving towards a resolution... That leaves a bit of a sour taste in my mouth to be honest, but I want to hear from YOU.
> 
> Personally I think a sequel would be the best route, because guess what? CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT. This whole story has been fraught with despair...and I almost want the second one to bring out a lengthy, lighter side of things...I know some of you call me queen of the whiplash (Flaming-Amber, I'm calling you out ;]) and it was necessary for this story. The sequel, I want to bring a bit of peace to their lives. Like I said, no puppies and rainbows, but definitely not so much angst... I'd love to hear what you think... Reviews, PMs, I don't mind.
> 
> Thank you all for reading along. The end is nigh ;) Try not to hate me!


	36. -36-

Sherlock paced anxiously in the morgue. He had left Kairi after a well deserved nap and snack. He traded off with Molly and was off with John before Kairi could realize he was gone. He always made sure to kiss her, mutter kind words in her ear, though he couldn't quite vocalize the feelings that reeled within him.

He felt as if he were getting closer to Moran, a creeping suspicion in the back of his mind that made him think that he would soon come from the shadows to make his demands known. When Lestrade had called with a mysterious body, he and John had dropped everything they were doing to go to the morgue.

He was pacing furiously, fingers pressed to his lips as he searched his mind palace, organizing information on Kairi's case, trying to pull in small clues and rearrange them more effectively. He wasn't sure how long he had been doing it, but he was disrupted by John resting a hand on his arm.

"Sherlock, why don't you sit, you've been pacing for what seems like an hour." His face twisted with concern and Sherlock shook his head.

"I must think, John." Sherlock growled and John sighed.

"We can't do much until the body arrives." John reminded him.

"Do shut up," He snarled and began pacing again, "I need to organize the information on this case. I can't very well do that with your stupidity clouding the room."

John scoffed, "Get stuffed you prick." John grumbled and Sherlock gave him a grave look. John rolled his eyes, "Fine, be a cock." John pushed off of the table and made his way through the morgue doors, leaving Sherlock in a unique silence as he catalogued the information.

At this point they were waiting for the body to be transferred, Lestrade had told them not to bother with coming to the crime scene because the body had been deposited in the back alley of Scotland Yard already inside a black body bag and phoned in. There were no direct signs of foul play, but they wanted the coroner to be the one to do the inspection to be sure. Someone was making a statement and Sherlock was sure it was Moran. He was growing bolder in his actions and Sherlock was sure that the monster would slip up soon, allowing Sherlock the perfect opportunity to kill him.

Like Kairi had said, it would only be over when one of them was dead.

Sherlock was determined to see it be Moran.

Though he could barely voice it, he flatly refused to live without Kairi.

He was annoyed at the lack of information and the waiting, but when Lestrade arrived with John at his side, looking shaken, Sherlock was sure that this would be a useful clue.

"File?" Sherlock muttered as Lestrade came forward, an intern rolling in the body bag on a stretcher. Lestrade approached, looking tired already and handed Sherlock the minimal notes about the arrival of the body. No identifying markers, no clothes, fingerprints not in the system, the body was the most drastic John Doe that Sherlock had ever seen. The cameras had been disabled and even if that did not happen, the drop spot was not actually covered, thus it took a call to get the body spotted. The abrasive move to leave a body outside Scotland Yard was audacious. Sherlock felt the tremor in his gut, knowing that this had to be Moran's doing. He only feared how this corpse could relate to Kairi.

Lestrae took the liberty of opening the body bag and exposing the corpse. Sherlock, John, and Lestrade leaned in, not daring to touch it. They knew that whoever they got to do the autopsy would not be forgiving as Molly.

Sherlock eyed the body, inspecting it closely and coming up with very little information. To be truly honest the entire thing looked strange. The skin was obviously cold, signifying the body had been dead for at least a few hours, blood had stopped pumping and the skin looked hard and stiff. It had the slightest sheen to it, almost like sweat beading after a long run, but it was more than obvious to Sherlock, the man had not been doing any strenuous activity for some time.

The face was oddly familiar though it seemed malformed. The skin was almost tightened, twisted slightly and bending in way skin should not bend. Sherlock's eyes ticked across the corpse, burrowing information in his mind so he could ask questions when the pathologist arrived.

"This guy familiar to you two?" Lestrade asked John and Sherlock.

John shrugged, "I dunno, he seems like a normal bloke. Middle aged, decent health. I've got to say though theres something off about him. He's been dead for a while, cold and stiff and all that, but..." John paused looking at Sherlock, "Something is off about this. I mean I haven't inspected him completely, I don't want to fuss with whoever is on call, but this... I feel weird about it."

Sherlock scoffed, "Feelings." He muttered with disdain and John gave him a noncommittal grunt. "I agree John, something seems off. The skin is malformed, almost..." Sherlock flicked his eyes quickly across the face and hair, "Malnourished."

John shrugged, "Decent weight for his height. I don't think he starved to death."

Lestrade coughed, "Nothing about him speaks to me. The scene was completely clean. No tire treads, no trash, just the bag and the body."

Sherlock narrowed his eyes, "When will that blasted pathologist get here." He grumbled, only slightly disappointed that it could not be Molly to help him on the case, she was of much more use sticking with Kairi.

A few minutes later, after a poignant silence between the three, the doors to the morgue finally opened and the pathologist walked in. Sherlock's eyes widened and anger rippled through his chest.

"What are you doing here!? You should be with Kairi." He spat and Molly went wide eyed.

Molly gave him a sharp look, "I moved one of Mycroft's men inside before I left, you buffoon." She walked over to her desk and began rearranging her items so she could begin the autopsy. "Lestrade said this one was odd and requested me. Kairi is just about as safe as the Crown Jewels." She muttered and then looked up at Sherlock who looked pained, "Okay, bad example. She's safer than that Sherlock. No one could possibly get into her home with all of Mycroft's armed guards on high alert." Once she was washed and scrubbed up she approached the table, Sherlock, John and Lestrade at her heels.

She began the process of removing the body bag, delicately this time as it is considered evidence. She put the heavy plastic inside an evidence bag and handed it to Lestrade so they could take a closer look later. Molly adjusted the microphone above the corpse that would allow her to transcribe her notes during the autopsy.

Sherlock watched her, determined and graceful as she began touching the corpse, speaking out her observations while feeling for broken bones or protrusions that could indicate a medical issue. She went from foot to head, her fingers nimbly pressing against the body with a frown on her features.

"This corpse is extremely firm." She muttered as her fingers spanned across his ribs, up his neck and felt across his facial and cranial structure. She placed a hand on his forehead and then pulled back quickly, "Oh my..." She gasped as her hand went back to press against his frontal bone and a large chunk of skin seemed to cave in. She grabbed a scalpel and cut into it, "Dear Lord this is mortician's putty." She looked up at the shocked faces around her. She dug around further, "This is a bullet wound and a large one. Very high caliber." She muttered and dug around using her scalpel to cut away the putty and flesh that was in her way. "Goodness, someone spent a lot of time putting him back together. This ripped right through him. I would think he bled out rather quickly, may have even blown the back of his head clear off, I don't know how they managed to keep him in one piece, but I'll need to wait to thaw him out."

"He's that frozen?" John asked surprised.

Lestrade frowned, "We haven't had any sort of weather yet that could freeze a corpse straight through. Not recently. Can you give me an estimation based on decomp or something?"

Sherlock felt his phone vibrate in his pocket. He paused from his investigation, pulling it out and seeing a text from Kairi. He replied cheekily, as he knew it would make her laugh. Lestrade stared at him as if he spouted an extra arm, "We need to wait for him to thaw anyway." He muttered defensively at the inspector who shrugged and backed off with a grin on his lips.

He directed his attention back at Kairi who was texting him and becoming an indelicate distraction. His eyes strayed to Molly as she stood at the top of the victim, glancing at the hole in his head, pressing the skin around it to test for rigidity. She seemed thoughtful.

Sherlock continued to text for a moment and placed his phone back in his pocket, glancing up to meet John's teasing gaze. Sherlock returned the cheeky grin with his dark glare.

Molly shrugged after thinking, "Not until I open him up." Molly eyed the body once more with a frown.

"What is it?" Lestrade muttered.

"John, come here." Molly motioned for the doctor as Sherlock began his own inspection based on Molly's theory.

"What does this look like to you?" Molly asked John as he bent over to inspect the outside of the victim's thigh.

John stared at the patch of discolored skin, "I don't know, a bruise?"

Molly shook her head, "Yeah, looks it doesn't it?" Her tone was speculative. Sherlock rounded the table to inspect what Molly had found.

Thoughtful, Molly stepped towards the head of the victim, inspecting his skull and hair and feeling all sorts of inconsistencies now. She took a moment to really stare at his features, despite them being a bit mudded by death.

"How long will he take to thaw?" John muttered to Sherlock who seemed to be doing the calculation in his head.

"Right, cant we throw him under a heat lamp to speed this up?" Lestrade sort of joked and Molly laughed.

"No not quite." She said distractedly.

"Might damage the organs since we have no idea how he came to be the way he is." Molly sighed. She walked back to inspect the corpse's arms and shoulders while John and Sherlock went back to the patch of discolored flesh.

John and Sherlock looked up from their inspection at the sound of a sharp gasp. Molly's gloved hand was on the victim's face. She was frantically pulling at the skin.

"Molly!" John called to her and ran over, pulling her back from the corpse, "Molly what's gotten into you?" She was pulling away from him slightly, her eyes wide and breathing erratic.

"Sherlock look at his face," She muttered, settling against John, but she was still shaking, "Really look at him!"

Sherlock stepped forward, staring at the skin that Molly had manipulated. His eyes went wide as he looked back at Molly, his chest tight with apprehension, "How is this possible?"

"Who is it?" John added from around Molly.

Molly shook her head nervously, taking a deliberate swallow against the fear in her gut, "I don't know how Sherlock..." She met his eyes that were frantically moving over the corpse. "Glancing at the wounds make me think that it was recent. The skin texture and blood staining from the bullet hole give me concern though. Almost as if I cant tell you if it happened eight hours ago or eight weeks ago and he's just been a big p -," Molly froze and glanced at Sherlock who was staring at her with a reflected moment of clarity, "Oh no..." Molly pulled away to inspect the body again, her fingers more diligent and thorough as she traced every piece of the corpse.

"Who is it!?" Lestrade shouted finally, breaking Molly out of her trance and Sherlock out of his inspection.

Everyone froze and looked to Sherlock and Molly.

"John." Sherlock said, motioning towards the corpse.

John stepped forward, letting go of Molly who stepped back, breathing heavily and thinking. He placed his hands gently on the table and leaned forward, taking in the features of the man lying in front of him; the nose, the cheeks, the chin. He focused harder, trying to piece something together. He stared and stared and stared, using every centimeter of available brain space for processing power. It finally hit him and he stumbled back, the features now becoming cohesive and his gut sank. He leaned against the wall for a moment.

"He's been dead for years. How is he here!?" John finally bellowed at Sherlock who had closed his eyes.

Molly watched as his eyes moved speedily beneath his lids, pulling out relevant information for the corpse at hand. "Liquid Nitrogen?" She directed it at Sherlock.

"No," Sherlock growled, fluttering hands in front of him as he resharpened focus.

"Deep freeze?" Molly added quietly.

Sherlock opened his eyes wide, smiling at Molly and John with a sinister grin, "Closer." He muttered and walked over to the corpse, "Cryopreservation. The more realistic form of cryogenics which has been pushing for a more advanced form of preserving human tissue. People believe it would be able to preserve brain tissue before decomposition, allowing for someone to technically be re-awoken when their death could be reversed or prevented." He rolled his shoulders, staring at the body, "This time it was used a bit too long after certain death of course."

Lestrade sighed, "Will someone tell me who this man-cicle is?"

Sherlock's phone vibrated in the silence and he pulled it out, staring at his phone with a frown, "Detective Lestrade, I'd like to formally introduce you to David Aria." He looked up, for only a moment before glancing back down at his screen with concern, "Kairi's father." He added slowly. His eyes went glassy, unfocused for a moment and then, as Sherlock always did, burst into action, jogging from the room without a word.

John rolled his eyes, "Can you keep us updated on this please?" Molly nodded mouthing 'go' to John Watson who hurried after the consulting detective.

Once he got out of Bart's he glanced around and couldn't see Sherlock anywhere. He hailed a cab as he brought his phone to his ear and called Sherlock. He hopped in the cab and asked for Baker Street and the cabby took off. John cursed when he got a voicemail and stared at his phone willing it to ring with Sherlock on the other line.

He stared at it, mind going blank, except for the burning image of Kairi's father in his mind. How did a more than three year old corpse look almost as fresh as the day it was made? He understood the mention of cryogenics, but John did not have direct knowledge of those capabilities. It was something for science fiction and bad alien movies. He wiped a hand down his face as the cab turned the corner for Baker Street. In a few minutes the cab stopped and he paid the fare. He didn't see a guard outside Kairi's door, but she had probably invited him inside since she never liked to leave them standing there for hours. He took the steps two at a time, getting inside 221B and shouting for Sherlock who did not respond.

He frowned slightly, looking around quickly and then jogged to his room with his phone to his ear as he shouted for Sherlock again. There was no response on the line or from the flat and he went to his desk and opened his drawer.

He was left breathless.

His gun was gone.

"Shit!" John rasped and his phone finally vibrated.

He glanced down at the screen, his heart in his throat at the simple words.

_Remember where my heart broke._

* * *

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **_A/N_ **
> 
> **_Ugh... I cant even...I've written this chapter and one other. The other still needs to be edited and I hope to get it up by the end of this week...My heart is currently breaking... I feel almost ill...I love my characters and so much stuff is going down...I'm literally exhausted because I couldn't stop writing... Please tell me you'll still love me after you read it...You have to promise me now "because you wont love me when you're finished."_ **
> 
> **_I have to work early tomorrow... I'll try to get more writing done after work... Its really coming to an end...I keep having to remind myself I have a sequel planned..._ **
> 
> **_Please review. I know this chapter seemed a little bit meh... but the rest will probably be a lot to handle... I want to give you guys some reprieve before I ruin your lives... I already know whats happening and i still feel like I'm ruining my own life when I read it...ugh_ **


	37. -37-

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **_A/N This chapter takes place at about the same time as the previous chapter. Uhm...sadness and stuff :(_ **
> 
> * * *

Kairi was preparing dinner for her and Molly. The sun was gone and the day was winding down and to be truly honest, Kairi was exhausted. Sherlock had returned that morning for a few hours of sleep and raucous sex that left Kairi willowy and placid. She glanced at Molly who was lying on her couch, watching some show on the television that Kairi wasn't familiar with.

She finished chopping up vegetables and mixed them into the salad she was preparing for them both. Molly was a tiny thing and she never ate crazy amounts of food, compared to Kairi at least, who could pack away a large pizza by herself on a good day. Lately though, her anxiety had been so drastic that she was barely able to keep any food down. She was disappointed with this fact, it resulted in her losing more weight than she wanted. She knew Sherlock was concerned because of the way he would trace the lines of her shoulder blades and spine, his fingers tickling across her collar bones or fingering her hips in a non sexual way. His frown was always deep and he looked at her with longing eyes. It was pointless to talk about it. He knew he didn't have much of a right to complain as he starved himself constantly on cases. Though Kairi had made a promise that she would eat when he would eat - even if she ended up throwing it all up later.

She added some tuna salad to the lettuce and spinach, sprinkling some cheese before going to her fridge to bring out some salad dressing. She was never a big fan of salads unless there were more croutons than lettuce, but she was making an effort, trying to find things that didn't automatically make her nauseous.

In her peripheral vision, she saw Molly sit up sharply, glaring at her phone.

"Problem?" Kairi muttered, carrying the salad bowl over to her small table.

Molly was frowning as she stood, staring at her phone, "Yeah, there's a body at the morgue and they need me." She looked up at Kairi, shrugging, "Mycroft's men are outside. You mind if I duck out early?"

Kairi shrugged, trying to keep the desperation in her eyes from showing, "Course, go do your job. Let me pack some salad up for you." She trotted to the kitchen and pulled out some tupperware and put in some salad for Molly to take.

"Thanks love." Molly smiled and pulled Kairi in for a tight hug, "I'll be back after. They know I'm supposed to be off this whole week."

"Hey, don't worry about it. I'll be fine. Take a bath, read a book, something to keep me busy." Kairi chuckled and Molly pulled away. "See you later." Molly nodded with her bright smile and collected her things, packing away Kairi's salad in her bag as she exited.

Kairi grumbled slightly going back to stare at the bowl of salad on her table. It looked absolutely disgusting and she knew she wouldn't be able to keep it down. She thought about putting it into her fridge but it would just get soggy and gross. She grabbed the large bowl and a fork and went to her front door, opening it to see one of Mycroft's nameless agents standing beside her door. He must have been like that for hours, he hadn't asked to use the restroom or for water or food and Kairi had no idea how he was so resilient. Molly had been gone maybe five minutes and Kairi was already jittery and bored.

"Hi!" She smiled at him and he nodded to her in response. "Want some salad? I have extra."

He looked nervous, eyes sort of glancing around, wondering how much trouble he'd get into for eating on the job. "I really shouldn't ma'am." His voice came out deep and serious.

Kairi nodded, "I promise, I'll tell Mycroft I threatened you. You've been there for hours and if you can't come inside to eat and rest then I might as well feed you."

He shifted again under her kind gaze and she held out the bowl to him, shaking it a bit. He reached out slowly, taking the bowl from her as if it were a live bomb, "Yes ma'am."

Kairi nodded and then placed a bottle of water at his feet, "If you need anything else don't hesitate to ask - even though I know you wont." He nodded, staring at her until she left him alone. Kairi sighed as she closed her door, assuming that eating in front of her was seen as some sort of weakness.

She sat on her couch, calling Appa up to snuggle and she pulled her phone out, staring at the blank screen. Sherlock had disappeared while she slept, she could faintly remember lips being pressed to her brow through a dreamy haze and it made her stomach flutter in the good way. She opened up their text conversation and typed out something simple.

_I miss you. Please be careful._

She sort of leaned into Appa, resting her eyes and trying to keep the anxiety from overwhelming her. Everything that happened lately was pulling her apart. She had bits of duct tape in the form of Molly and Sherlock holding the remnants of her sanity in place, but they felt pliable and weak at moments. This was one of the days where she felt like she was barely able to hold on. She felt her phone vibrate and looked at the screen.

_I am always careful. -SH_

Kairi chuckled, rolling her eyes as she responded.

_I must be thinking of some other Sherlock Holmes then. Is this the one I have sex with? Or is that someone else?_

A response came quickly, the flush rising on her cheek with her audacity.

_I would hope there is not another man posing as myself who takes advantage of you. -SH_

Before she could reply with something witty, he had already sent another message.

_I rather enjoy doing that myself. The idea of sharing that with someone else leaves me displeased. - SH_

Kairi smiled wide, feeling a glorious tug in her gut.

_Well we could always experiment. You know, I could take a modest sample size, see if you don't mind sharing me with some people._

When she pressed send, the response was lighting fast.

_NO -SH_

Kairi chuckled at that.

_Come on!_

_For science!_

She laughed in the silence, goading him was probably inappropriate if he were at a scene or doing some investigation.

_I don't like science enough for that. - SH_

Kairi laughed out loud at his response.

_All right then, Mr. Sentiment, back to work. Will I see you tonight?_

She sighed heavily, hoping he would return to her soon with Moran's head on a spike.

_I endeavor to return to you quickly. I feel as if I need another affirmation. - SH_

A beat of silence occurred between his next text.

_Possibly multiple affirmations and definitely soon. - SH_

Kairi felt herself gulp, remembering what he had told her this morning about needing to prove to himself that she belonged to him. The tug in her gut became fluid at that moment, coating her insides with a delectable heat. She didn't care how long it took, she was willing to be all the proof he needed, as often as he needed it.

_My body is at your disposal for such proof._

_For science? -SH_

She smiled.

_For science._

She smirked at herself, rolling her eyes and chuckling. This was probably as close to sexting as her and Sherlock would ever get. There was silence for a few moments, Kairi felt as if he were probably focusing on the task at hand.

_You are not assisting in my focus. -SH_

Kairi chuckled.

_Ok, ok, I will hopefully see you tonight at some point._

_Yes, at some point. -SH_

Kairi smiled and placed her phone on her table, lying down and using Appa as a pillow as she rubbed his stomach. She found peace in listening to him breathing, hearing the rapid heartbeat of a dog pounding in her ears. She felt almost at peace, using her breathing to keep her heart rate down and trying a little pathetically to use the imagery Dr. Sherman provided her to keep herself compartmentalized for the time being.

She felt as if she were floating for a moment in a space where her mind was empty and peaceful. She tried to relax her muscles, especially the coiled ones in her stomach that kept her from feeling comfortable. Using an age-old technique she took her time to clench individual muscles then relax them as she progressed up her body. She started by flexing her toes and rolling her ankles, focusing on relaxing every other part of her body. Then her calves, flexing and holding tight while she took deliberate breaths and then relaxed on an exhale. She continued, slowly, feeling control come over her again, willing herself into a mindful place where she was capable of grasping her emotions.

She was lying peacefully now, her entire body relaxed and content.

Her cell phone buzzed again and she groaned, reaching out with closed eyes and bringing the screen up to her face. She barely looked at it as she swiped it open, looking at the text and smiling.

_-I miss you._

She chuckled, her eyes closing again as she breathed deep. On her exhale, her brain began to chatter.

Her eyes shot open as panic gripped her.

Her breath caught in her chest and she sat up sharply, causing Appa to stir and grumble off the couch. She brought the phone to her face and let out a slow whine as she looked at the unfamiliar number that sent the text. She felt dread close in on her lungs when she realized that Sherlock had not sent it - the text was without his text signature.

She wanted to throw the phone into her fireplace, toss it out the window, maybe put it in the oven and turn it on. Instead she gripped it in her hands, feeling the glass and metal almost creaking beneath her fingertips. She flipped back to her open conversation with Sherlock and began typing until another text interrupted her.

_-Don't tell him._

Her eyes went wide and she glanced around her room as her breathing became frantic. Her windows were covered, closed, locked, and barred now - she thought it was a bit much, but after the package, after the pictures, she didn't want to give any advantage to Moran. She closed the text and went back to typing to Sherlock.

_-DON'T_

Her fingers froze on her phone and she felt herself shaking violently, holding back the sob in her chest.

_-Answer me._

She choked on her own breath, her heart beating erratically against her sternum and she tried to calm her spasming diaphragm, she tried to focus but she couldn't. Moran was speaking to her. He wanted something and she was smart enough to realize that there was no way he wouldn't get it.

_-Do you like how I got you alone? I sent them a special parting gift from us._

Kairi couldn't breath. The body at the morgue that Molly was looking over had something to do with Moran. That's why Molly was called in, she was the best coroner in London - probably in all of England. She closed the texts again and opened a line to Molly.

_-Don't tell her either._

Kairi let a little squeak come from her lips. She regretted that her home was silent. The guard outside could probably hear her if she made too much noise. She was alone and this is how he wanted her.

_-I need you to answer me._

Kairi closed her eyes, holding the phone to her chest and shaking her head, biting her lip as her muscles shook with terror and pain. Appa was sitting at her feet, looking concerned as he prodded her gently with his nose.

The phone rumbled against her skin and she wanted to scream.

_-ANSWER ME NOW._

She shook her head, staring at the screen, as if it communicated her defiance to him.

The next text was a multimedia message and Kairi swiped it open with quaking fingers.

_-ANSWER ME NOW OR I WILL REPLACE YOU._

Kairi had to actually bite her own hand to keep her scream in check. Tears were streaming down her cheeks as she glanced at a picture of her niece Julie, looking alive and happy and very much seven years old, smiling in her cheerleading outfit from school. She stood then, scrambling to her bedroom and hiding herself in her closet, darkness surrounding her now as she let a few weak sobs escape her lips. She was shaking her head violently, getting rid of her fear, expelling her demons, preparing herself for surrender.

_What do you want from me?_

_-Very good. I need you to meet with me now._

_No._

_-That's the incorrect answer. I need you to try again._

Another picture of Julie arrived in her inbox. Kairi let out a whine at that, wishing she could scream and howl and destroy everything around her. Despite the pitch black of the closet and what felt like wind howling in her ears, she could hear Appa at the crack of the door, sniffing and whining to let him in with her.

_Why?_

_-Because if you don't, I will take her and this time I'll finish what I started with you._

Kairi bit her hand again against her scream. The same hand went up to her hair and she tugged sharply, trying to use the pain to center her, to keep her in control. Everything was rushing past her in flashes of light and stabbing pain in her scalp. She might rip her hair out before she got it all under control.

_Where?_

_-That's my good girl._

Kairi felt sick and keeled over to her side, emptying her stomach of rancid bile as a voice echoed in her head. He called her that, his good girl. He always had called her that. Kairi's phone vibrated on the floor, illuminating the dark room with its painfully bright screen.

_-I think you know where. Somewhere I watched your heart break._

Kairi frowned as her stomach turned. Somewhere her heart broke? In London?

_-Leave in three minutes exactly. Come alone and don't warn anyone or I'll take Danielle too. This time they wont get the benefit of receiving the bodies. I will see you soon._

_Yes._

Kairi crawled out of her closet and ran to her bathroom to throw up some more. She was shaking violently as she glanced at her phone, she had two minutes to get ready to leave and she wanted desperately to send something to Sherlock, but she honestly didn't know what to do. She ran around her home, gathering her clothes and slipping on shoes haphazardly, trying to look as nondescript as possible - a night runner out for a jog with her pet. She clipped Appa's leash with shaking hands, she couldn't do this alone, she couldn't face him by herself. She needed someone and if she couldn't have her friends she would have Appa. She pulled out her phone and opened a text conversation to Sherlock.

_My love for you is as unchangeable as the Old Man and the Sea._

She pressed send and ran out of her home, Appa jogging by her side. Everything was quiet and empty - Moran had arranged it to be so and she didn't take the time to think about how. She began jogging down the street, feeling weak and dizzy until she was just far enough from Baker Street. She felt her phone vibrate and she pulled it out, glancing at the unfamiliar number.

_-Ditch your phone_

Typing quickly, she sent one last text, tossing her phone in the nearest trashcan and began jogging again. Usually Appa would be filled with glee to be running around with his master, but his mouth was closed and he looked severe as he trotted beside Kairi who felt like her legs would give at any moment.

She arrived at her destination, shaking furiously as she slowed to a walk, her breathing was painful and she felt cramps everywhere. She hated herself for not being more of a runner and promised herself that if she lived she would start running, do a marathon, sky-dive - whatever. If she got out of this alive, she would do anything and everything she ever wanted. She stood slowly, limping along the path as her muscles protested and her lungs screamed with each breath.

She approached her destination, the sound of splashing water filling her ears as Appa panted at her side. She stared at Triton's fountain, a place she used to adore, full of good memories and happy times, now tainted by Moran. This was the place where she finally let herself love Sherlock Holmes. This is the place where she would leave him behind. She faltered a little, her heart pounding against her chest as she leaned against the stone. To anyone else it would look like a jogger was stretching leisurely against the fountain, taking a break from a strenuous run.

Kairi shuddered, realizing her entire life had been a marathon, a drastic, desperate attempt to escape Moran. Everything she had ever done was tainted by what he did to her. She could never resolve, never be at peace, she would always be running from him. The man had taken her soul, killed her father, destroyed her relationship with her sister, and essentially taken her mother's life as well. Moran had quite literally ruined her life, making her secluded, withdrawn, and bitter, inspiring her to run to the farthest reaches of the world, hiding from life and love and happiness and losing herself in loneliness. Despite the fear that gripped her heavily, she felt an undying rage brewing in her gut, fighting for dominance against her weakness.

"You need to breathe before you pass out or have another seizure." A voice from behind her said, smooth and almost caring. Appa began to growl.

Kairi stood sharply, ignoring the protesting of her limbs and insides which all seemed to be vibrating within her. She turned slowly and her eyes rested on Sebastian Moran.

She shouldn't be surprised at how different he looked. In her paltry memories, he had been young, almost baby-faced and child-like. Over twenty years had passed and a man stood in front of her now. He seemed taller, larger than life as he loomed close by, built solidly. His face was almost angelic, covered in disarming stubble a calm smile on his face with wide, rather full lips and a strong jaw under clear, hazel eyes. His hair was medium length, tickling his jaw and swept back, a bit wild in its slightly wavy design. He looked just like any other man, a face that aside from being attractive, wouldn't stand out in a crowd. In any other circumstance, if he hadn't been Sebastian Moran, if he wasn't a murder and a rapist, Kairi might have said he was attractive.

At this moment though her vision went red. She could hear her heartbeat thrumming in her ears as she took a step forward, a snarl on her lips. "You." She growled and his smile disappeared. His clear eyes went cold.

"Still haven't forgiven me I see." He said with a cold grin. Kairi made to move again, a growl in her chest, and he raised his arm, pointing a hand gun with a long-barreled silencer at her chest. "I wouldn't advise you to move, my dear." He chuckled at her, watching her body shake as his gaze roved over her. "I'm a little disappointed you didn't dress up for me." He shrugged, acting nonchalant. "No problem." His voice was sweet to her, joking and familiar, the twang of a slight southern accent littering the cadence. "You ditched your phone as I instructed?"

"Yes." Kairi ground out.

"Good girl." He smiled again. "I'll need you to come with me."

Kairi wanted to shake her head but instead she pushed forward, gripping Appa's leash like a tether to her sanity. "Fine." She spat.

Moran grinned at her lightly, seeming pleased, "Without all the baggage, though." He said to her in a simple tone and Kairi didn't understand.

She looked at him in confusion, meeting his eyes which seemed to sparkle with insanity. His mouth widened in a predatory way and his grip on the gun shifted and he fired off a round.

Kairi let out a scream as the bullet escaped its chamber with barely a whisper. In those silent moments, she could almost see the bullet traveling, aimed directly at her heart.

With a yelp, Appa crumpled to the ground and Kairi let out an earth shattering howl as she fell to her knees next to him. "NO!" She cried, sobs ripping from her throat as she pressed her hands against the bullet would in Appa's chest. "NO! DON'T!" She screamed, blood seeping through her fingers and she felt all of her life force drip away with each glob that reached the ground. Her eyes were blurring and she kept screaming, trying to grasp the blood that had pooled around her dog and put it back inside of him. She needed to do something, anything to save him. She bent over, trying her best to calm her breathing as she pulled him into her arms, limp and unmoving and went to put her mouth around his muzzle to perform CPR. She was sobbing as she tried and she couldn't control her limbs as she freakishly grabbed at his front and hind legs to cradle him in her arms. She opened her mouth to settle it around his muzzle when someone grasped her arm and tugged her away.

Almost in slow motion, she watched as Appa rolled to the ground, his eyes open and lifeless and his snow-like fur stained by the blood from the gaping wound in his chest, crimson handprints littering his body from where Kairi had tried to hold him. She felt herself bottom out at that moment. Nothing was left within her to care. She felt empty, vapid. Tendrils of her sanity where wisping away like smoke on a still day and she barely cared enough to watch them dissipate.

The grip on her arm tugged her and a voice growled at her, "You can't save him, don't bother. I don't need your mouth tasting like that mutt." Moran yanked her away.

Kairi felt the emptiness inside of her turn to stone and she looked up at Moran, unaffected and cold as he pulled her away from her best friend. With a shriek, she turned in his arms, her hands and fists flailing at him without precision, but stained with deathly force as they collided with his face and neck. She was screaming as she attempted to lay into him, her wild arms and legs lashing out with intent to kill. She'd rip out his jugular with her bare hands if she had the chance.

He snarled as her nails ripped at his neck and cheek and he easily overpowered her, towering a full foot above her, using his body as the deadly instrument it was intended to be. He struck out, using his fist to back hand her across the face and Kairi let out a sharp gasp at the pain in her cheek and mouth, a pooling coppery taste assaulted her. She had been hit before, numerous times, but this one felt like a freight train had collided with her jaw. She took a shuddering breath and turned back to Moran.

She tried to fight back again, disorientation taking over as she swung at him with less fervor than before. He swatted her hands away with grace and struck her again, a precise hit to her temple which sent her spiraling. This time Kairi saw white flash before her eyes and she felt dizzy and sick as she sunk to her hands and knees, blinded by the spinning lights around her.

"STOP!" A voice rumbled from the darkness.

Moran paused, smiling as he towered over Kairi who was attempting to crawl away from him. "Glad you could join us." Moran chuckled as he stepped towards Kairi and yanked her up by her hair, she screeched in agony, scratching at the fist at the back of her head. He was larger than her, so he held her high and pulled her close, feeling her body fight against him, giving him a thrill. He adjusted his hand, traveling down the silken skin of her face so he could grip her neck.

Kairi's feet barely scraped the ground as he held her against him, using her jaw as an anchor to keep her from choking completely. She scratched at his hands, but he only tightened his grip, making her cough and shake against him. She settled for gripping his arm and lifting herself up, allowing space for her to suck in air as her vision swam and exhaustion took over.

"Put her down." A figure approached and Kairi could almost recognize it. Her vision blurred, seemed to shake as Moran pulled her tighter to him. She could feel the hardness of his chest against her back. A blur moved to her side and she watched, with sudden clarity as his gun raised and pointed forward.

Kairi shook her head, the ringing in her ears seem to stop as she followed the gun's direction and watched the figure vibrate into clarity.

Sherlock.

"NO!" She tried to scream but it was halted as Moran tightened his grip on her throat, causing her to gasp and groan against him.

"Oh, she does make some interesting noises, doesn't she?" Moran pressed the side of his face against hers, "Course you know that, don't you Sherlock?"

Sherlock remained quiet as he approached, John's gun raised as he pointed it, his entire body tense with rage, his mind clouded by it so he could barely think. All that he wanted to do was put a bullet between the dead eyes of Moran. He tried to breathe, tried to remain calm as Kairi squirmed against her captor. She was covered in blood and her face was bruising, her eyes disoriented as she stared back at him, clawing at Moran's arm, desperate and afraid. Sherlock glanced to his side, a new fire burning in his chest when he saw Appa's still body surrounded by a pool of blood.

"Put. Her. Down." Sherlock managed to get out in a calm, if menacing voice. He squared his shoulders, adjusting his shot so he could hit Moran if necessary. He was holding Kairi so close, using her as a human shield and somehow, her tiny body made a much more dangerous target than the man behind her, holding her before him like a coward. Everything within him was screaming, begging, waring against each other. He wanted to choke the life out of Moran; he wanted to hold Kairi close and tell her she would be okay; he wanted to cry and kick and throw things until Moran released his grip. The weak grasp he had on his sanity faltered with every haggard breath Kairi exhaled.

Moran chuckled in Kairi's ear and she felt her stomach twitch again, a wretched burning, dying to escape in the form of her bile, "Can't do that Sherlock. We have unfinished business to attend to." He smiled coldly at the detective, "Thinking about that now, you and I have some unfinished business as well. First you kill my boss and then you take my girl. Thems fightin' moves pardner." He spat the last bit with an exaggerated and mocking accent.

"I'm not your girl." Kairi ground out and went to scratch at his face. Moran swatted her hand away like the weak creature she was and he adjusted his arm on her, wrapping it around her chest and pulling her tight against him with her arms pinned to her sides. His strength was overwhelming against Kairi's weak form. She regretted that she hadn't been able to eat, that she didn't exercise. Despite the years of self-defense her father had taught her, there was no possible way that she would be able to overcome him without a weapon and the element of surprise. She tried to close her eyes, but each time she did, she would only see his face. She kept them open, staring at Sherlock, who returned her gaze with a cold fear and desperation. For a moment she wished she couldn't read him so well.

"That's where you're wrong, Kairi." He whispered in her ear, watching Sherlock standing next to the body of her dead dog, adjusting his grip on the gun. He chuckled again, "Oh, he's mad isn't he?" Moran pressed his lips to her ear, his breathing heavy, "I don't think he likes watching me touch you."

"Stop it." She grumbled and tried to twitch in his grasp but he only held tighter. Her movement caused Sherlock a certain amount of alarm and he steadied his stance and adjusted his aim.

"What?" Moran smiled against her cheek, "You don't like my attentions?" He laughed darkly, moving his arm around her waist so his hand could rest on her lower abdomen, his fingers gripping at the fabric to move it out of the way. The cold air assaulted her senses and Kairi gasped, his warm hands pressing into her flesh, "You are so warm and soft." He mumbled into her ear. He addressed Sherlock this time, "She's so warm. I bet she feels wonderful doesn't she? All those times I saw you two grappling against each other must mean something. Especially for the great Sherlock Holmes to toss in his V-Card." He meant this for Kairi, but said it loud enough for Sherlock to hear, "I haven't been with you in 20 years. You think you're ready for me this time?" His voice was throaty and thick with desire and excitement.

"Unhand her now!" Sherlock snarled, his eyes wide and wild, stepping forward as his face twisted in absolute rage. "NOW!" He roared, taking another step to close the distance.

Moran pressed the muzzle of the gun to Kairi's temple and tutted at Sherlock who froze, "Stop right there, detective." Moran snarled, an icy tone taking over his voice, "Now I have plans for Kairi here, plans for  _reconnection_  if you will, but I will shoot her if you take another step. Problem is, I would be incredibly disappointed if I had to kill her, but seeing as I want you to suffer as well, I might have to displace some of that rage and it might take a long while before I felt better." He snarled, "Plus, I have a few options if dear Kairi here gets herself killed." He chuckled darkly and Kairi began fighting against him again, "Or you get her killed, that is."

"No!" Kairi whined and he pushed the muzzle against her skin with great force and she winced.

"Fine." Sherlock muttered, lowering his gun just slightly, looking into Kairi's eyes which were reaching out to him, begging him to run. "Let her go and do what you will with me."

Moran grinned, tilting his head this way and that in mock consideration while he hummed against Kairi's skin. "Mmmm...No." He said sweetly, extending his arm with efficient, perfect speed and pulling the trigger.

Kairi screamed as Sherlock jerked backwards, almost spinning to his side as the gun flew from his hands. Kairi lunged against Moran's hold and he just laughed as he held onto her while she tried to push away from him, screaming Sherlock's name as tears leaked out of her frantic eyes.

Moran grinned, watching her falling apart and crying as she pulled away from him, not bothering to fight him or defend herself as she focused solely on Sherlock. She kept screaming and it was about time he shut her up, no matter how delicious her cries sounded to his ears. He brought the butt of his gun down sharply on the beck of her neck and she crumpled in his arms. He lowered her to the floor quickly, but with care and then trotted over to Sherlock, kicking the gun out of his reach.

"Time to stand up." Moran chuckled, watching Sherlock as he winced, trying to reach out for the gun, "Don't be such a baby, I got you clean through the shoulder." He stepped on Sherlock's wound, a sick smile on his lips and he applied pressure and Sherlock fought a grimace, "Course I may have nicked a bone or a nerve. She was wriggling against me pretty nice and I got a bit distracted."

Sherlock grit his teeth and went to strike at Moran but he was halted by Moran leveling his gun at Sherlock's face.

"Bad idea." Moran smiled, "Like I said before, I have plans for you two, but I would gladly put a bullet in your brain, but that would leave Kairi all alone to my devices." He smiled wickedly and Sherlock relaxed on the ground, "Good boy." Moran smiled, "Now get the fuck up and walk."

Sherlock got to his feet unsteadily, looking at the prone body of Kairi lying on the ground, limp and lifeless. A sob caught in his throat and he tried desperately to keep his emotions hidden. Exposing his sentiment for Kairi is what got them into this problem in the first place. Despite his best efforts, he took a step towards her and Moran hissed.

"Hands off Sherlock, its high-time you learn some respect for other people's property." Moran spat, "Shuck the jacket and phone and hands behind your back, princess." He growled and Sherlock acquiesced slowly, his shoulder screaming against the sensation as blood seeped from his wound in alarming amounts. He put his arms back, another stabbing pain radiating through his body as the bite of zip ties snapped at the flesh of his wrists. "Good boy. Walk forward, we'll be taking a drive before Kairi wakes up."

Sherlock watched as Moran scooped up Kairi as if she weighed nothing, throwing her over his shoulder like a rag doll. He walked in front, listening to Moran's directions as they made their way through Regent's park, away from the corpse of Kairi's beloved pet, away from the haven of Baker Street and towards a nondescript vehicle.

Moran made Sherlock kneel as he loaded Kairi into the car, cuffing her limp form to the grip handle above the passenger seat. He helped Sherlock stand and guided him to the trunk and opened it.

"Can't have you bothering our precious Kairi, can we?" Moran chuckled.

Sherlock was about to respond scathingly as he felt a sharp pain in the back of his neck right before his world went black, the last of this thoughts resting on Kairi and the terror that made him go cold.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> * * *
> 
> **_A/N_ **
> 
> **_I feel dead inside I truly do. I was sobbing as I wrote this...Just absolutely sobbing. This was part of what I meant by the characters writing themselves and Moran is the ultimate bastard. In my mind, Moriarty is a psychopath, he wants to watch the world burn because he wants to be the best, he wants power and derives pleasure from lording his superiority over others...Moran is a psychopath and an avid sadist.. He wants people to suffer because he gets off on it. He doesn't care how, he just wants to watch as people fall apart and relish in their misery..._ **
> 
> **_Man, fuck that guy..._ **
> 
> **_The story will continue in a dark vein for the next chapter or two... Things are happening and I feel exhausted and sad..._ **
> 
> **_Please feel free to hate me a little for this chapter...Its why I asked preemptively for forgiveness. I really am sorry. While this chapter was happening, I wanted nothing more than to just stop writing...Just to pretend it all could end two chapters ago...But the characters...They will go through a lot...They will be suffering... And they will be changed forever because of it..._ **
> 
> **_A sequel will be hopefully immediately in the works once this story is over and that will be a story of change and healing... As this story obviously isn't that..._ **
> 
> **_Ugh, I hate Moran..._ **
> 
> **_BY THE WAY - I am always open to requests for one shots...PM or comment or whatever :D_ **


	38. -38-

_**A/N This chapter is rife with angst, some torture, and non-con. There is a glimmer of happiness early on, but that's it...Literally. The rest is very much angst and despair...Enjoy?** _

* * *

_During the Abduction..._

John stared at Kairi's text, for how long he didn't know. Finally, his body responded with a sharp intake of breath and he went into overdrive, running through 221B to make sure Sherlock wasn't inside just hiding from him. He sprinted out of 221B, practically skidding down the stairs. As he came to a stop, one of Mycroft's agents came out of Mrs. Hudson's home, adjusting his perfect suit and John felt rage well up inside of him.

"Open this door now!" He growled and the agent almost seemed affronted until he looked into John's eyes and felt the waves of anger rolling off of him.

The agent stepped forward and pulled out his keys. He gripped the knob and his eyes went wide as it twisted freely in his hand. He dropped the keys immediately, putting his hand to his holster to pull out his gun. John felt a coldness grip his gut as it twisted inside and he followed the agent through the flat.

When it was all clear John turned to the shaking agent, pointing a deliberate finger at him, "Go outside. Get away from me.." He spat and the agent turned on his heel and walked briskly away. John searched around, looking for clues and cursing Sherlock for being gone. He didn't find anything in the front room, but he ran into Kairi's bedroom and saw the minor disarray. Kairi wasn't a slobby person by nature, so the small amount of clothes strewed about the room was an obvious indicator of her haste. When he walked to her closet he noticed the sour-sweet smell of bile and saw the small pile of it in the corner. His hands started shaking and he looked at his phone and began to dial Sherlock again.

_Remember where my heart broke._

John's eyes widened at the memory of the words became unbearably clear. He turned sharply, running out of Kairi's home and grabbing the jacket of the guard to yank him along. "Come with me."

The guard jabbered, "I'm not supposed to lea-,"

"Listen to me you fucking idiot," John growled, turning on him and glaring, his voice and presence imposing despite the height difference between him and the guard, "Right now you are so very close to having your entire life ruined. You let someone get in, or you let Kairi get out, and right now, not only is my best friend missing, but the woman he loves has been taken by a fucking psychopath." He snarled, "Give me your gun, call the fucking cavalry, because this is your one and only chance to save your own ass."

"Y-yessir." The man stuttered and pulled out his weapon, holding it out. John grasped it tightly and adjusted to the weight of it in his hand.

"Get your car now and take me to Regent's park before I change my mind and put a bullet in your fat head for possibly getting two of my closest friends killed." John said in a soft and even tone, which only scared the guard more. He ran to retrieve his vehicle.

They pulled up to Regent's park and John shot from the passenger seat, running towards Triton fountain with every ounce of strength in his body. That was where he'd seen Kairi's heart break. That's where he had hoped that he helped piece it back together. Panic, fear, and desperation were seeping out of his pores, begging his muscles to run faster as he wound down the path, his eyes narrowing for any sign of Sherlock or Kairi.

When he arrived at Triton's fountain, he heaved out a breath, finding the area empty. He scanned it quickly, not noticing anyone around and he let out a growl. He paused, regained his focus and then began jogging around the fountain until he came to rest on a sight that tore him apart.

"No..." John mumbled as he sprinted towards the limp form of Appa, "Damn, Jesus, no!" He shook his head. He wanted to kneel, to press his palm against the animal's stomach to check for his breathing but it was pointless. The dog was still as stone and surrounded by a very large pool of blood that seemed spread about by some frantic action. His heart seized and his throat closed as he turned away with a snarl. He shook his head, tears stinging at his eyes as he looked away in despondency. Out of the corner of his eye, he spotted a handgun lying not far away and he went to inspect it. He picked it up and shouted out in anger as the realized the gun was his own. Sherlock had been here.

"SHERLOCK!" John bellowed into the night air, the desolate pain in the single word echoing throughout the chambers of his heart. "Kairi!" He said a little weaker, his chest beginning to tighten. He glanced around, shaking with rage and terror as he found the next splatter of blood and Sherlock's coat. John grabbed it and inspected the garment, ignoring the blood spatter because it wasn't enough to indicate that Sherlock had bled out. He was checking the body of his friend's coat, trying to discern where the bullet had entered. When he finally found the shoulder with the bullet hole, he breathed a sigh of relief as it was too high to be the heart, but hopefully, because of the amount of blood shed, it had not hit an artery.

He pulled out his phone, his heart racing as he dialed a familiar number and it picked up immediately, "Mycroft get your men down here, now. We need everyone." John said with a creaking voice.

"The situation?" Mycroft replied, his voice cold and quiet, John might even say uneven.

"He's got them." John let out a quiet sob that he tried to swallow back into his throat, "He's got Kairi and Sherlock. Moran has them." John hung up the phone, dropping it to the ground as he fell to his knees and put his face into his hands.

If they couldn't do something, find something, Kairi and Sherlock would be dead within the next day.

...

A few hours had passed, Lestrade being in and out, looking haggard from heading up the teams of Mycroft's men who were trying to find Sherlock and Kairi. Mycroft was serious and quiet, leaving the room to discuss things on the phone with God knows who.

"I can't believe it." Molly whimpered against John, bringing him out of his own personal hell. He put down his cup and held her tightly as she cried, "I left her. I left her alone and he got her." She sobbed louder now and John shushed her, holding her firmly.

"Don't you dare carry that weight Molly Hooper, don't you dare." John said with a tight voice as he kissed her temple, "You're responsibility was to be there for her. You weren't required to protect her. That wasn't your job." He murmured.

Molly sat up with anger flashing behind her eyes, "John she's my friend, my best friend! I was supposed to protect her! That's what friends do!" She sobbed and John grabbed her, pulling her back into his embrace as she roared against him in anguish.

"No, that's true, you're her friend. You're her best friend Molly, but you aren't supposed to stand between her and a psychopath. That isn't your fault he got to her." He grumbled, pressing kisses against her skin as she sobbed, "She was supposed to be protected. She was supposed to be kept out of harm's way by other people. That weight is not on you and you alone. I failed her too. I failed Sherlock." He managed to get out before his words broke. Molly looked up with tears streaming down her face and she pulled John's mouth to hers. They kissed frantically for a moment, mixing tears and tongues as they grasped each other in desperate search for light in this murky hour.

Mycroft cleared his throat from the doorway and Molly and John pulled apart, breathing heavily and leaning into one another, holding on for dear life, feeling like they only had one another. "I've come to inform you the agent positioned outside of Kairi's home has been appropriately dealt with."

John let out a growl and stood abruptly. "I don't give half a damn about your agent!" He almost screamed, surprising both Molly and Mycroft. "Put a bullet in his head, put him at a desk for the rest of his life, or throw him in a volcano. I. Don't. Care." He spat and his eyes finally met Mycroft's in a steely gaze, "Where are they?"

Mycroft cleared his throat, looking down at his own shoes, a very unique situation in which Mycroft appeared ashamed, "Moran has been more than effectively hiding himself. We are vetting security as well as CCTV to try and find footage of them leaving the park." He swallowed and looked up at John, his face blank for once, not filled with coy disgust or a pedantic misery as he stared at another lowly human. Mycroft was hurting in his own way.

John turned sharply, kicking at a small end table, causing its splinters to go flying, along with his whiskey which crashed to the floor. "Damnit." He growled, pushing a hand through his hair, "Sorry." He spat at Mycroft.

He finally let out a small, snide smile, "I wont trouble you with that table's cost."

John chuckled lightly, "Put it on my tab, right?"

Mycroft nodded, glancing at Molly who was sniffling again. "If you'll excuse me." He nodded to them both and disappeared.

Molly reached out to John who returned to her embrace, curling around her and holding her tightly, "I don't know what to do." She murmured, "I'm useless."

John shook his head, pressing his lips into a tight line, "I don't know either, but we will get through it. We will find them. It will all be okay." He whispered into her hairline.

Molly let out a raspy breath, "What if it's not? What if something happens?"

John chuckled against her skin, inhaling her signature scent that kept him sane so often these days, "Who the hell else are we going to get to be in our wedding?"

Molly sat back, staring at him shocked, "I'm sorry, what?"

John's eyes widened back, shocked that he said it out loud, "What?"

Molly let out a nervous laughter, crying slightly as she swatted his shoulder, "You better redo that at a time when our best friend's lives are not on the line and I'm not a sobbing mess."

John gave her a nervous chuckle, "Be honest, you'd be a sobbing mess anyway."

Molly slapped at his arm again and he pulled her in for another voracious kiss, reassuring each other of the tangibility of their presence. "God John..." Molly let out a whimper, "We need them. We need them as much as they need us."

John let out a shuddering breath, the memory of Sherlock's faked death very prominent in his mind, "I know."

* * *

_After the abduction..._

Kairi woke up slowly, her mouth dry and her head pounding. She was lying on a bed, surrounded by soft blankets and there was a nagging notion in the back of her mind that told her she should not be comfortable, that she should not feel at ease.

She gasped fully awake, jerking to a sitting position and staring around the so far empty room. She put a hand over her mouth, to quiet her own breathing as tears began forming in her eyes. Her other hand went to cover her mouth to aid the other and she felt and heard the clank of metal on metal as she forced the screams to stay inside of her throat. She wrapped her unchained arm around herself and finally looked down. She was clean now, Appa's blood was gone and she was in nothing but a plain white nightgown, trimmed in simple laced eyelets. Her stomach lurched when she remembered having one very similar to it as a child. The same one covered in her own blood and stuffed into an evidence bag. She shuddered and bit the lip under her hand as a cold realization dawned on her.

Moran killed Appa.

Moran had shot Sherlock.

Sherlock might be dead.

She closed her eyes tightly, willing herself to remain quiet. The door to the plain room was open and before she shut her eyes she could see out into sparse living quarters. Her body began to shake and mewling cries were escaping her lips despite her desperate efforts to stay quiet. She heard footsteps and held her breath, hoping and praying that Moran was nowhere near her.

She was not so lucky.

He appeared in the doorway, leaning on the doorjamb casually, dressed in a simple pair of jeans and a t-shirt. "You're finally awake, I see." He smiled at her tenderly.

Kairi finally let out a scream as she scampered off of the bed and began to run. Sebastian didn't even move, smiling as he watched her fret. The chain around her wrist went to its limit and yanked harshly at its full length, clanging against the headboard that was bolted to the wall. Kairi let out a shriek as it jolted her wrist and elbow at a horrible angle. She took a few steps back, keeping the bed between her and Moran as he watched her with an amused smile on his lips. She was breathing heavily, shaking furiously as she glared at him.

"Oooh, kitten, don't look at me like that, you might get me excited." He chuckled and Kairi spat in his direction. His eyes went dark as he made his way towards her in a flash. Kairi yelped and tried to climb across the bed as he made his way around it. She knew she wouldn't get away, but she'd rather rip off her own arm than let him touch her.

She was surprised as she got across the bed without an issue, only to be further surprised as her chained arm yanked her backwards, pulling her flat on the bed. She landed on her back and she looked up to see Moran standing above her, smiling with the chain wrapped around his large hand.

She made a frantic movement to get away and Moran looped the chain around her neck, pulling her arm tightly across her body, the metal dug into her skin as he tugged her into his arms.

"Oh Kairi, don't fight me so much, you are just so beautiful when you're frightened, I may not be able to control myself." He whispered coyly against her skin, his lips brushing along her shoulder and jaw.

Kairi struggled again, tilting her head away from him as much as she could. He chuckled against her, his lips gracing the skin there as kind and as gentle as Sherlock would. She could not even begin to put into words how vastly different the two men made her feel.

With his opposite hand, the one not holding her enchained around herself, he brushed her hair out of the way and began kissing across her bare back.

Kairi took in a heavy breath and braced herself. She exhaled slowly and threw her head back as hard as she could, slamming her skull against Moran's face with a sickening crack. He let out a huff of air in a grunt, his grip loosening on the chain as she ducked under her own arm and wriggled from his grasp, leaping across the other side of the bed and holding herself as far away from him as physically possible.

He started laughing, almost hysterically as tiny dribbles of blood seeped from his nose. He looked at her playfully, wiping the blood away from his nose. "You got me good." He chuckled, smiling at her, "I appreciate a woman with fire in her." He tilted his head to the side and pulled his shirt down slightly, exposing his neck where Kairi had scratched him, leaving pretty deep gashes. She smiled at that, her head low and her stance defensive. He grinned back at her, "I'm glad you take pride in your work."

"Anything I can do to cause you pain, I will. I promise you that." Kairi growled out, yanking on the chain as if to test its resolve, "Anything." She spat. "I hope those scratches get infected and you die." She ground out.

He grinned at her, perching himself on the bed and wiping at his nose again. "You know you don't have to be this way."

She tried not to let her eyes pop out of her skull, " _I_  don't have to be this way?" She snarled, "Me!?" She almost shrieked, "You sick, dumb-fucking, mindless freak!" She screamed at him.

His eyes went cold again, he closed them and took a deep breath, standing to his full height at probably 6'4". He squared his enormous shoulders, his jaw going taught as he exhaled and opened his eyes to stare at Kairi. A darkness passed through him, sick and twisted, rolling off of him in waves as Kairi began to tremble. "You know, I have an idea of how I can make you just a bit happier with me." He smiled almost sweetly, but Kairi could see the rage in his eyes. "I brought you a present." He chuckled and walked over to the closet on the opposite side of the room.

Kairi was still shaking, she tried to stand up straight and strong, but she felt trapped and caged. Her entire body felt coiled and ready to flee but she couldn't go anywhere. There was no way she could fight him, everything about him was bigger and stronger and the realization was just starting to wash over her how hopeless it all really was. She had to try and find the quickest possible way to get herself killed. She couldn't go through it, she couldn't let him touch her like that ever again.

She watched him stand by the closet, a snarky smile tilting his lip as he leaned against the doorjamb, "Ready to forgive me?"

Kairi didn't respond, she just watched him as he chuckled and opened the door. He yanked out a metal chair, grinding across the floor with someone strapped to it and he turned it near the base of the bed and Kairi couldn't stop herself from throwing herself across the room. She ran full speed and was halted by her chain. She tugged at it, feeling the metal biting into her skin as she cried.

"Sherlock!" She sobbed as she took him in. His eyes were barely open and he looked worked over. His face was covered in blood, a cut cheek, blood seeping out of his nose though his eyes hadn't been touched. He could still see perfectly as he looked up at her. His mouth was covered by duct tape wrapped fully around his head. He lunged in his chair when he saw her, moving only minutely against his expertly applied restraints. He was taped at the ankles and wrists, under his knees and chest. He couldn't move an inch. He started struggling, yanking at his joints, growling and groaning behind his gag, making his chair rattle against the floor. "I'm so sorry." Kairi said quietly, reaching her other hand out and stretching to her furthest limit, her hand brushing against his face. He was breathing heavily, but he closed his eyes, leaning his cheek into her touch, pressing his nose against her fingers to inhale her scent.

"Welp," Moran clapped, "That's enough of that." He added sarcastically as he moved around the chair, bumping Kairi out of the way. Sherlock's eyes shot open, taking in Moran and assessing every single point requiring deathly precision to put him down. His head was hunched, his eyes practically black as his body shook with utmost rage towards his captor. He looked to Kairi for a moment and she shook her head in a desperate plea.

Moran placed his foot on the chair, between Sherlock's legs, and kicked it back against the wall with a screech. Kairi jumped forward and Moran stopped her as Sherlock collided with the wall, sending his unsupported head back against the drywall with a crack. Kairi let out a whimper, but Moran held her in place with a painful hand around her bicep. Sherlock's head lolled to the side and to the front slowly. He lifted his head tenuously, his eyes fading in and out of focus for a moment before he could place his gaze on Kairi and Moran.

Moran winked at him and turned to Kairi, "So am I forgiven?"

Kairi stared at Sherlock still, their eyes meeting in desperation, pouring anything they could into their gaze. Kairi let out a sob as tears leaked down her cheeks, "I'm sorry." She whispered.

Moran tugged on her arm, forcing her to face him and in a fit of rage Kairi reacted with her first instinct which was to spit directly in his face. Sherlock almost smirked at that if it weren't for what happened next.

With horrifying speed, Moran shoved Kairi against the wall and she hit it hard, the back of her head colliding with it and sending a siren through her brain. Her knees felt weak, but in a moment she felt a hand grip her neck and hold her in place, closing off her air. She felt like slipping into unconsciousness, listening to Sherlock grunting and yanking against his restraints.

Kairi saw white again as a slap reverberated through her entire frame. She was brought back to a painful consciousness, looking up into the stormy eyes of Sebastian Moran. She briefly recalled spitting at him when she saw him wipe a slow hand down his stone cold features.

"I would think that you'd be grateful." He snarled, pressing his body against hers fully. His hand clasped at her jaw, positioning his fingers at the sides of her face to pop her mouth open, "I would think that you'd be happy I kept him alive." He chuckled and bent down, his eyes finally level with hers and they were empty, absolutely empty. She wanted to cry but she could barely breathe, grasping his large forearm in her hands, trying to pull herself up for a lungful of air. "I should think that you'd be anxious to please me, but no, you keep pushing your limits." His face twisted in pain and disgust for a moment before his eyes cleared and he smiled.

That smile put more fear into Kairi than all of his rage.

"You know I have to admit, I like your fire Kairi. I'm glad you didn't grow up weak and pathetic." He grinned at her, his opposite hand tracing up her thigh, over the skirt of her nightgown, "You know so many women just claim to be victims and let it ruin their lives, but you," He leaned in closer so their noses touched, his eyes closed as he breathed her in, "Oh, you will be so much fun to break again." He sighed and he pressed his mouth against hers, snaking his tongue between her lips and she tried to flail against him, biting down and she caught the edge of his tongue. He pulled back and used the hold on her neck to slam her back against the wall. He hissed and spit blood to the side as he glared at her, "Bite me again and I break his legs."

Kairi was shaking, blood from biting his tongue dripped from the corner of her mouth.

"Do you understand?" He growled, his other hand gripping her hip sharply and she winced. She looked over at Sherlock, he was shaking again, his eyes cold and dark, his muscles flexing and rolling beneath his clothes. "Nod if you understand Kairi: you hurt me, I hurt him." Sherlock yanked against his restraints, shaking his head 'no' at Kairi. She turned back to look into Moran's eyes.

She nodded slowly, "I understand." She said in a whisper.

He smiled wide and dipped his mouth to hers again and took it by force, pressing his tongue against every available inch, the taste of blood fresh in her mouth as he assaulted her. Kairi gripped his arm tightly, not responding in any way, just allowing him to do what he pleased. She shut her eyes, not able to bear seeing Sherlock's reaction though she could hear the scrapes of his chair on the ground.

Moran pulled away, slicking his hair back with one hand. He turned them sharply and threw Kairi on the bed, climbing on after her with a predatory look in his eye.

Kairi scrambled away, or at least attempted to, "No, please." She wheezed out through bruised vocal cords. She rolled onto her stomach and crawled to the edge of the bed before Moran's large hand reached out and grabbed her unchained arm, yanking it back behind her in a very familiar stance to subdue an opponent. He jerked it upwards, her wrist almost above her shoulder blades and she yelped. She straightened, on her knees, her back against his chest as he knelt behind her. He brushed the hair from her face tenderly, running a finger along her lips.

"Look at him." Moran whispered against her face, his cheek against hers. Kairi closed her eyes, refusing to look at Sherlock who was still struggling against his prison. "LOOK AT HIM." Moran bellowed in her ear, his voice gravelly as it raked over her senses and caused her body to coil in on itself as a sob escaped her lips.

Kairi opened her eyes and looked at Sherlock, he was breathing heavily and yanking roughly against his restraints, painful sounds escaping the duct tape gag through the hollows of his nose. He looked ragged, sweat was pouring down his face and his shirt stuck to his skin, he was pulling so hard, working against his restraints so diligently, that his shoulder was beginning to bleed again. Kairi let out a sob shaking her head, begging him to stop, praying he would stop hurting himself. He glared at Moran with murderous intent.

"He's upset." Moran spoke against her skin, "If looks could kill..." He chuckled. "Now to teach you both a lesson on who truly owns you..."

Kairi's eyes widened as she was pushed forward, her chained hand falling to catch herself on the bed, "No!" She shouted, but Moran yanked her arm again as he held her forward with one hand gripping her wrist and twisting her arm. She let out a hiss of breath and dropped her head, trying to keep her tears inside, trying to hide from him.

"Ah, ah, ah, silly girl." Moran chuckled behind her, scolding her. He reached out, leaning forward and she could feel his erection straining against his jeans and into her backside. He gathered her hair in his hand and yanked her head back, exposing her face to Sherlock who had gone still. "I'll need you both to pay attention." She heard the grin in his voice as he pulled her hair taught, wrapping it around her own wrist that he held firmly in his iron grasp.

Kairi couldn't move but her entire body was set on fire as she heard the painfully familiar sound of his pants being undone. Every nerve ending was burning bright with terror, she shook in Moran's grasp, her face forced to look into the eyes of the man she loved, forced to be the weapon that delivered his final blow.

Sherlock was still at this moment, his eyes were wide open and full of pain. He watched Moran, his grin deepening as he adjusted his stance behind Kairi, smiling down at her as he moved her nightgown out of his way. In his last moment, Moran looked up, smiled at Sherlock and gave him a wink before he thrust himself into Kairi and she let out an inhuman scream.

Her cry ripped through Sherlock, tearing a sobbing yell from his lips that his gag hampered. He screamed over and over again, staring at Kairi who was looking at him, full of sorrow and self-hatred as Moran moved behind her at an overbearing pace. Her face screwed up in pain, the violation, the utter turmoil of being torn apart written clearly across her features and Sherlock died inside. He continued to scream as tears flooded from his eyes, blurring his vision as he tried to blink them away. He continued to yank at his restraints, screaming in utter agony as he tried to meet Kairi's eyes, tried to let her know she wasn't alone and that he still loved her. He wanted to do nothing more than love her perfectly in this moment and it tore him apart. He sobbed heavily, exhaustion fighting for purchase in his limbs as he continued to struggle against his bindings and scream past his gag. In a vague part of his mind, he could hear Moran's moans, his distant chuckles as he beat into her.

Kairi's eyes finally went glassy, her body and brain shutting down, blocking out the pain as Moran finished up inside of her. Sherlock let out an inhuman howl that faded into a sob when Kairi's face went blank and she stopped fighting.

Moran pulled himself from her, sated and spent, deliciously pleased by their screams of torment. He tossed Kairi to the side and she flew off of the bed, hitting the ground with a thud. She was silent, no noise except the pitiful haggard breaths escaping her lips.

He put himself back into his pants, watching Sherlock's tears streaming down his cheeks as he wept unabashedly. Moran smiled a little, fixing his pants. He peeked over the edge of the bed and saw Kairi, lying in the same position she fell in, motionless except for a slight tremor with each breath she took.

With a sigh and a shrug, Moran swept his hair back away from his face and he chuckled, glancing at Sherlock, "Guess it really wont be so hard to break her." He left the room swiftly with a grin on his lips and slammed the door behind him.

Sherlock ignored him, screaming Kairi's name behind his gag, choking on his own mucous as he cried and cried.

Kairi didn't move. Kairi barely breathed. She couldn't hear, she couldn't see, she only curled up into a ball, wrapping her arms around her legs, feeling her gift from Moran seeping onto her thighs. She closed her eyes and shut out the world. She shut out everything and openly began to weep the tears of a lost soul.

* * *

_**A/N** _

_**I'm sorry... I really am. This is where the story took me and like I told you last chapter, I almost wanted to stop, but I couldn't. The character of Moran is probably the darkest character I've come into contact with. He is pure unadulterated evil in my mind. He has focused his psychopathy on Kairi and Sherlock and he intends to make them suffer using them against each other. If you have a casting you can think of for Moran I'd like to hear it, I want to see if the person in my mind is coming out in my character description...Its sad, I really love this actor. But damnit if he wasn't a perfect fit...** _

_**I promise you now, he will get his due. I ardently promise you that. Kairi or Sherlock will be the one to deliver it too. I don't want to spoil it, but I also want you to have some hope. Like I said, this story does not have a conventional happy ending, but the despair will end.** _

_**Please review... I really need to know how everyone is doing. I'm torn up inside from all of this...** _

_**I've finally reached 200 reviews. Congratulations to Marisol! Thank you for being an avid reader and reviewer since you found my story! She chose to provide a prompt so that will be the first one I attempt after this story is completed. As for everyone else, I'd like to open up reviews/PMs for any prompts at all. I can't promise they will get done right away, but if you have something you'd like to see, I'd be happy to put it in my queue.** _


	39. -39-

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> M for violence and abuse triggers of physical and sexual nature

 

* * *

Sherlock slumped in his chair. He couldn't think, he could barely breathe. All he could do was feel. He recalled sharply why he never wanted to harbor sentiment in the first place. Tears were still falling down his cheeks and though his throat was raw, he continued to murmur behind his gag at the still body on the floor.

He wasn't sure how long they had been there, night had turned to day and day had waned to a sunset, he wasn't sure how many times. The room was orange and pink through the shaded window and Kairi had not moved. She was shivering more and more now, her breathing gone from rasping to desperate gasps whenever her brain could remind itself it needed oxygen, causing her lungs to spasm in desperation.

Everything hurt inside and out, he continued to yank against his restraints, weakly now, pitifully so. He was spent and never in his life had he felt so perfectly inconsequential. His sorrow, his rage all blurred together, melded into one blinding feeling that pumped through his veins and tainted his vision. For the first time in his life he felt truly, utterly hopeless.

There was no grand design to Moran's plan. It was not a race against the clock. There was no opportunity for Sherlock to prevail. This wasn't a challenge to see who could best who. This was only Moran, using every black way in his body to systematically destroy Sherlock and Kairi. He would continue his machinations until he grew bored: he would kill Sherlock and leave Kairi a lifeless husk of a human being - the possibility of it being the other way around was frightfully apparent as well.

Even Sherlock could not match his depravity. He didn't want Moran to suffer, he wanted Moran to die. Any breath that escaped that man's lips was a dagger in Kairi's heart. Sherlock would sacrifice his pride, his body, his mind - he didn't care - he would give it all to have one chance to kill Moran. He would not hesitate. He would not falter, not if it resulted in Kairi's pain. There was nothing to learn from Moran, no grand intelligence to uncover. Yes Moran was intelligent, but it was tainted by a pure sadistic evil. No one could benefit from his knowledge. Moran was a psychopath, a sadist, and he deserved to die.

Sherlock felt his vision begin to blur, his thoughts began to swim and he shook his head deliberately to keep himself awake. He took a deep breath, fighting against the roaring pain in his shoulder and he began to struggle again, groaning and murmuring to Kairi who was still motionless.

He dropped his head, breathing heavily, his vision spotting from the pain radiating through him. Moran had shot him and beat him senseless before tying him to the chair. He anticipated a broken rib or a few, possible internal bleeding, and numerous bruised organs from Moran's flying fists, striking his kidneys with precision.

He halted his breathing when he heard movement.

His head shot up and he tried to keep in the groan that wanted to escape him when his vision went fuzzy.

Kairi had moved.

Slowly, he watched her arms uncoil from around her legs. She rolled to her stomach, her legs shaking as haggard breaths escaped her lips. Her head was still low, she wasn't looking at him, but her shoulders tensed and she began to slowly crawl and pull herself across the floor in his direction.

Sherlock stayed quiet, watching her deliberate and slow movements to keep her chain from scraping against the floor. She got minutely closer, her body coiling and shaking with each movement, no doubt sore and bruised from Moran's attack. She extended the chain as far as possible, lying on the floor and shaking with uncertainty, she attempted to spread herself over the largest amount of area her tiny limbs could extend. Sherlock heaved a shuddering sigh, his eyes pooling with tears, so utterly thankful to see her move towards him.

She stretched and stretched, but it was no use. There was no way she could extend further. There was no way for her to reach Sherlock. She sagged against the weight of her failure, rolling onto her back with pitiful, silent sobs. She looked up at him with hopeless tears in her eyes. "I'm sorry." She whispered. Sherlock tried to keep her eye contact as he shook his head, not needing an apology from her. He gave her a smile and kind eyes, but she closed him out immediately. She slammed her head against the floor, grunting in pain and then heaved out a determined breath. She rolled again, back on her stomach and extended her leg out towards Sherlock this time. She was barely closer when she let out an anguished whine.

The door opened and both Kairi and Sherlock looked up to see Moran smiling at them, dressed in a new set of jeans and a shirt. He chuckled and Kairi fought harder against her restraints, trying to reach Sherlock as if it would matter. Moran rolled his eyes, "Well isn't this just endearing." He chuckled as he walked over to Kairi and kicked a booted toe at her painfully extended arm. Sherlock tried to voice his anguish against his dry throat and solid gag. He screamed and threatened Moran when there was a loud pop and Kairi yelped. She recoiled, jerking herself back to her arm and curled around it on the floor. She looked up at Moran, but instead of fear, she held a burning hatred in her eyes.

Moran chuckled and picked her up, sitting her on the bed and joined her by her side. He gave her a compassionate look and placed his hands at the joint of her shoulder. She tensed and hissed, pulling away until their eyes met and he frowned at her. His eyes were growing dark and Kairi didn't want him to go on another tirade so she tried to soften her features and let him touch her.

"It's dislocated." He said gently, his hand pressing softly against the skin. "I'm going to pop it back into the joint and its going to hurt."

Kairi tried to keep the frown from her features. She knew it was dislocated, he's the one that kicked it out of place merely seconds before. She nodded slowly and he rotated her arm gently, slowly guiding the ball back into the socket with a sickening crack. Kairi felt her stomach flop and if she had eaten anything in the past few days she would have thrown it up because of the pain. Instead she shuddered, holding her arm close against her, breathing through grit teeth.

He looked concerned, brushing hair out of her face as she glared at him, shaking with rage. "I've been thinking," He said thoughtfully, looking at her with concerned eyes, "I believe we can come to an agreement on this, Kairi." He spoke softly, looking into her eyes as if he truly desired her opinion. "I'd be willing to leave Sherlock out of this..." Her eyes widened with hope, her back straightening to ardently pay attention, "But you need to promise not to fight me." He said sweetly, a gentle smile on his lips as his hand traced down the side of her face, "I'll leave him outside, I'll put him in another room so he doesn't have to see us."

Kairi licked her lips out of desperation, glancing at Sherlock who was shaking with fury. She looked back to Moran who looked so utterly compassionate. She knew it was a ploy, a ploy to hurt Sherlock and her through her consent, but she didn't know what was worse: having Sherlock witness another brutal rape or allowing Moran privacy for disgustingly sentimental and consuming attacks. She shuddered without thought.

"I know you don't want him to watch us. I know you don't want him hurt." He held her face in one of his large hands and he traced a thumb along her lower lip, "If you accept me, if you respond to me, he wont have to watch." He sighed, hiding the giddy feeling from the hope in Kairi's eyes.

Kairi's gaze flicked to Sherlock, her gut writhing and she felt absolutely sick. If she could get him away from Moran, if she could keep him from seeing them together, it might be worth the physical pain of having Moran touch her. She never wanted to see the look in Sherlock's eyes as Moran raped her ever again. She honestly didn't know which hurt more: the rape itself or staring into Sherlock's eyes as it happened.

"You promise?" She whispered to Moran and she flinched, hearing Sherlock roar behind his gag.

Moran grinned and nodded, "I'll keep him away from us, put him in another room so I can have you as my own."

Kairi felt herself shudder and looked away from both of them, "Fine."

Moran chuckled, his voice lowering to his deep rumble, "Good girl." He chuckled and stood, walking over to Sherlock and grabbing his neck. "Hear that Sherlock? Looks like I don't have much need for you anymore." Sherlock's eyes were black with rage and he grunted as he yanked against his restraints.

"Moran..." Kairi said softly, she halted herself, "Seb, please." She added with a quavering voice.

Sherlock and Moran were glaring at each other until Moran's eyes softened at Kairi's words. He loosened his grip on Sherlock's neck and turned sharply, "What did you say?" He asked softly, his eyes wide and almost confused.

Kairi tried to stay calm, getting onto her knees as she pleaded with him from the bed, "Seb," She said softly, a weak smile on her lips, "I remember that's what you wanted me to call you. Instead of Sebastian, instead of Moran, like everyone else did," She fought through the words, despite the sickness rising in her gut, "You wanted me to call you Seb."

Sherlock watched as Moran's eyes went a little glassy and he wiped a hand over his face. He swallowed heavily, the slightest tremor in his hand as he walked towards the bed and reached for Kairi gently.

She didn't fight him despite every ounce of her being screaming for his death. He put his hands on her shoulders, and when she flinched, he rubbed her skin with the pads of his thumbs. He kneeled in front of her before pulling her into his arms and kissing her desperately. She tried not to gag as she returned his kiss, lifting her hands to grip his arms and she felt him shudder against her. He moved quickly, moans escaping his lips and echoing throughout Kairi's emptiness as he laid them on the bed, crawling on top of her and pinning her beneath him, his body resting between her shaking legs. His kiss was soft and sensuous compared to his rough treatment before. Kairi shook beneath him, but continued to kiss him, hoping he would interpret her disgust as desire. "Seb," She whispered against his lips, "Not now." She kissed him again as his hands moved to her hair, "Not with him here, please. You promised me." She added quietly.

Seb chuckled against her mouth, "One more time. I just need him to see once. He needs to see that you're completely mine." One hand fisted in her hair which caused her to gasp out a haggard breath, he held her head in place while his mouth trailed down her neck and he nipped at her collar bones.

Kairi felt the tears coming hearing Sherlock beginning to struggle and shout again against his restraints. She took a deep breath, trying to sound calm, "Seb, not with him here. I can't be yours if he's here. He-," She gulped back a sob, "He gets in the way..."

She heard Moran chuckled against her sternum, his free hand brushing over her breast and she did everything within her power to keep from shying away. "Oh Kairi, you're starting to say all the right things."

Kairi kept shaking, biting her lip hard enough to draw blood as his mouth moved along the thin fabric of her nightgown and he bit down on a nipple making her whimper in fear. He was far too rough, much too grating against her senses. Everything felt wrong. She might be able to take him being rough with her, dominating her and forcing her into submission because she could fight back, hide inside of herself, but him being gentle, him expecting her to return in kind, it was breaking her on a whole new level.

Of course, that's precisely what he wanted.

"Seb, please, you promised." She said shakily and she yelped when he yanked her hair and bit down on her nipple with more force. "Please." She said breathlessly.

Sebastian crawled up her body, leaving a searing fire as his tongue traced along her skin. He reached her mouth, diving between her placid lips and savoring her taste and her fear. He smiled against her and then met her eyes, they were back to being cold. "No, I'm amending our deal. He stays one last time. He watches me make you come..." He whispered against her lips.

Kairi's eyes widened and she started to fight him again. She wouldn't have cared if he had five hundred pounds on her and a twenty-foot height difference, if he went back on his promise then so would she. She squirmed beneath him, trying to drive her knees into his sides until he adjusted their bodies so his legs were on the outside of hers. He gripped her wrists and pulled her struggling arms above her head with a laugh, holding her firmly in place. He struck her and her vision went blurry. She vaguely heard Sherlock shouting.

Another slap brought her back to reality and she surged against Moran again. He laughed at her and it only inspired her to fight harder against him. She was nothing, a droplet of water against a monsoon, but she still fought against him, using the pain in Sherlock's voice as her drive. Moran adjusted on top of her minutely, raising his hips and scooting down just slightly so he could start to hike up her skirt with his free hand.

Kairi could have laughed she was so happy. She lifted up her hips, goading him to rise a little higher so he could yank up her dress and she lowered back down, quickly driving her knee into his groin. Granted it could have been better placed, but the brunt of her force would hit closer to his testicles, hopefully driving them into his throat.

She watched as Moran went red-faced for a moment, huffing out an angry breath and Kairi pushed him off of her, using her legs and hips for leverage to tip him over. She rolled off the bed, putting space in between them and pressed herself against the wall, watching as his entire body coiled, bent over on the bed, breathing heavily and groaning.

"God damnit Kairi!" Moran snarled, cupping his groin. He looked up at her, behind shaggy hair hanging in his eyes, "That hurt." He straightened, albeit slowly, still breathing heavily, and glaring at her.

And then he smiled.

Kairi went pale.

"Don't you remember our agreement Kairi?" Moran chuckled. He crawled off of the bed and grabbed her sore arm. "Sit down and don't move." He spat in her face and she sat, unmoving, shaking as she looked to Sherlock. He simply shook his head at her, he didn't care what Moran would do to him so long as Kairi remained untouched.

Moran stalked back to the room and Kairi blanched when she saw the gun in his hand. He walked up to Sherlock without preamble, flipping the gun in his hand to bring the butt of the handle across Sherlock's face once, twice, three times. Kairi protested and went to stand up but Moran flipped the gun easily, pressing the muzzle against Sherlock's temple.

"I don't take kindly to you resisting me so much Kairi." Moran growled, moving the muzzle of the gun to Sherlock's wounded shoulder and pressing it into the gaping hole. Sherlock's eyes shot open wide and he tried to keep the wail from escaping his lungs. Moran decreased pressure and Sherlock slumped against his bindings, barely breathing and shaking furiously. "Give me another good reason Kairi, just one, to put another bullet in him."

Kairi sobbed, "I'm sorry! Please!" She shouted at Moran who went back to pressing the muzzle against Sherlock's temple, "Seb I'll do anything, please."

At these words Sherlock glanced up, groaning and shaking his head, a desperate plead for Kairi to reconsider.

Moran laughed, "You wont catch me like that again Kairi." He chuckled and used his free hand to fist in Sherlock's curls and yank his head up.

"Please..." Kairi added. "Please, just stop hurting him."

Moran chuckled, evening his breathing as he practically threw down Sherlock's limp head and it stayed down. "Stop hurting him and you'll do anything?" He smiled at her, dark and coy.

Kairi let out a shuddering breath, "Yes, anything, just please, stop hurting him. Put him in the other room and we can do whatever it is you want."

Moran smiled. He placed the gun down on the far edge of the room on top of a set of dressers where he knew Kairi could not reach. He grabbed the back of Sherlock's chair, pulling the limp form closer to the bed and Kairi kept herself still, despite the urgent need to latch onto Sherlock and never let go.

"Sorry darlin' but you lost that privilege after you kicked me in the nuts." He chuckled, "Now, Sherlock here, gets a front row seat of us together." Kairi began to protest until Moran gave her a sharp and terrifying look, "If you're good, I might give you another opportunity to make me happy." He smiled, sickly sweet, "If you're bad, if you resist me, I'll put a bullet in him." He smiled when Kairi's face dropped in horror, in shame. "Oh yes, Kairi, I've many talents and one of them is knowing exactly where to place a bullet to cause severe pain while keeping someone alive for days at a time without need of urgent medical care." He chuckled, leaving Sherlock at the foot of the bed, "You should thank dear old daddy for that. He was my favorite teacher, after all."

Kairi began to shake and then she began to cry. She placed her face in her palms and she tried not to scream. Her entire body quivered as a torrent of hateful emotion coursed through her. She shook her head, breathing slowly, trying to put herself together again, but it seemed utterly impossible. One last heaving sob stopped in her chest and she dropped her arms, shaking, feeling completely empty inside.

She looked up at Moran, breathing heavily, a tilt to his mouth as he eyed her appreciatively.

Her eyes went to Sherlock, his vision didn't seem to be sharp, his eyes sort of rolling around in their sockets. She hoped that if she could make this quick, perhaps he wouldn't remember it because of the blood loss.

"What do you want?" She said quietly, hoping Sherlock wouldn't hear, though if she wanted to, if she could, she could reach out and really touch him, really apologize.

"Sit on the bed." He growled and she immediately acquiesced. "Open your legs." She stared at the wall, following his directions, emptying herself entirely for what she was about to do. He chuckled as he moved towards her, "Gotta admit, I like this side of you Kairi. My little submissive," He said enthusiastically as he twirled a finger in her hair, "I'm sure, after a few more attempts, you'd be begging for me to use a whip on you." He tugged the hair lightly and let it go. Kairi just stared at his knees. "Put your hands on your knees." She obeyed yet again, closing her eyes against the soft groan of Sherlock to her side. "Good girl." He reached down, putting a finger beneath her chin and lifted her gaze to meet his. "Now honey," He traced a thumb over her lower lip, "I'm gonna need you to kiss it and make it better."

Kairi swallowed slowly, keeping a reaction from her features as she reached up and undid his jeans.

* * *

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N
> 
> Man...fuck that guy...
> 
> God damnit I hate him...I hate him and I fucking created him and now he's beyond a monster...
> 
> Next chapter...Next chapter, my loves...Hold on until then...


	40. -40-

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _**M for violence of sexual nature** _
> 
> * * *

Sherlock expected much more than a mere gun across his face. It hurt like the dazes, but on the other hand, he had been expecting a bullet. He didn't mind really, Kairi had stood up to Moran, she wouldn't let herself be cowed by him and his heart burned for her even more. Being the monster that Moran is, just made Sherlock realize how serious their situation happened to be. Both of them would bend like reeds in the wind to ensure the other's safety. He hated to be Kairi's weak spot, he truly did.

To be honest, he may have preferred the bullet in his head compared to allowing Moran to completely rule over Kairi. If he had succeeded, if Moran had gotten his demands, he would have been one step closer to truly breaking her down. Kairi was resilient, more resilient than almost any person he had ever known, but the things Moran would do to her...

Sherlock felt like everything inside of him shattered after Moran first took control over her body. His mind could barely wrap around it without breaking into sobs. To actually go through it, to be in her place, he didn't think he could be strong enough to survive that. She already had survived it. Now she had to go through it again.

Sherlock felt like a failure. His only saving grace was that he would not go and die on her, he wouldn't let Moran have her alone. She didn't have to be alone.

His head was throbbing at this point and he couldn't truly discern between the sounds of his heart beating in his ears and the sound of muffled voices in the room with him. He was trying to will himself awake, to make himself focus but he had lost a lot of blood and he wasn't sure how much more adrenaline he could muster up. His muscles felt slack, his restraints unforgiving. It's as if he were falling further and further away from his focus. He couldn't recall a damn reason for staying awake.

Kairi.

He heaved in a breath as a flash of her pained face shone behind his eyes, his ribs expanding and causing a jolt of pain to rip through him. He groaned deeply, trying to suck in more air, using pain as his strength to bring him back into the room. He wouldn't leave Kairi alone. He couldn't.

He could hear vague voices now, but he couldn't pick out the words. Moran was nearby, berating Kairi for something, judging by the sound of his voice. Kairi's responses were stunted and empty. He took in another shuddering breath, flexing the muscles in his arms and back, sending spiking pains through his shoulders and ribs.

Another deep breath and he might actually wake up.

Light seemed to be a bit too abrasive for Sherlock Holmes. He began blinking his eyes, but nothing sharpened. He could only see the blinding brightness of his pain.

He heard voices again. This time quieter, more serious. He shook his head and let out another groan, trying to see if he could move his limbs.

All of the air rushed out of him when he heard Sebastian Moran moan.

In his mind, Sherlock roared, trudging against the weakness of his body, surging against his own failings. Here he was, pitying himself, feeling sorry for his paltry wounds when Kairi was left alone - alone with Moran.

Another deep breath shuddered through him and the pain brought him to the brink of consciousness. His eyes seemed to flutter, but his vision was still blurry.

It wasn't until he heard a gut wrenching scream that he was able to fully open his eyes and take in the scene before him.

"Kairi..." He tried to vocalize, but it came out as a groan, a whisper against his gag. He was almost elated, finding himself closer to her than he had been since they arrived with Moran.

Sherlock tried to observe the scene, Moran had fallen back against the wall, clutching at his groin and howling in pain. Kairi was on the floor, with blood dripping out of her mouth. He tugged at his restraints again, the pain making him feel more than alive as he desperately tried to reach out to her.

Moran growled, getting to his feet unsteadily and grabbed Kairi by the hair. He threw her up against the wall, putting a hand around her throat, holding her tightly. His grip seemed to be brutal as he screamed at her in rage. Kairi just kept a small smile on her lips while Moran seemed to throttle her.

Sherlock began to scream and tug at his bindings as Moran raised a closed fist and hit her sharply in the face. Kairi seemed to crumple because of it, letting out a cry of pain. She was still conscious and she looked up at him, giving him a full, bloodied mouth grin. When he went to shout at her again, something hateful into her lips, Kairi spat at him, getting blood in his eyes. He paused for a moment, one hand around her throat and one hand raising up to wipe the blood from his vision and Kairi took this moment to brace one leg against the wall and kick out with her other one, hitting Moran in his already sensitive groin.

Moran crumpled this time, letting Kairi go and she fell to the floor on top of him.

Scrambling, trying to untangle limbs from limbs, Kairi kicked at him as much as she could while he struggled to grab her legs. She was shrieking now, full of rage and adrenalin and her heel connected with his jaw, sending his head flying backwards with a sickening crack. Kairi crawled away as far as her chain would allow while Moran was momentarily stunned, rolling on the ground and trying to gain purchase through the blood loss and pain.

Kairi looked down at the cuff and Sherlock watched her mind reeling, he tried to struggle, to stop her, but she continued. She spat the remaining blood onto the side of her wrist and deftly grabbed her thumb and yanked it harshly out of the socket with a loud pop and a scream. She folded her hand in on itself and worked the cuff off of her wrist as quickly as possible while Moran struggled to get to his feet.

Kairi was breathing heavily and she ran behind Sherlock, to the corner of the room where Sherlock could not see her. Moran stood, unsteadily and rushed after her with a growl.

Sherlock was frantically pulling at his restraints and screaming behind his gag. He did his best struggle, but there was still no give as he heard a commotion behind him. He did the only thing he could manage, listening to Kairi scream, he threw his momentum backwards and the chair twisted, landing him on his side. The brunt of the impact focused on his wounded shoulder and a scream ripped itself from his lips as he tilted his head up, tears blurring his vision as a chorus of bullets echoed inside the small room.

With a sob, he watched as a body crumpled to the floor.

Blood was everywhere.

Kairi stood, her grip in perfect form as it wrapped around the small handle of the gun. She was shaking, still squeezing the trigger as empty clicks became the most pronounced sound in the room. With a cry of anguish, Kairi fell to her knees sobbing, covered in the spray of Sebastian Moran's blood from when she unloaded an entire clip into his face and chest.

Kairi sobbed dropping the empty gun, shaking furiously as she stared at Moran's corpse, watching as bubbles popped in the blood on his chest and his breathing immediately stilled. She looked over at Sherlock who was shaking, his eyes wide open and tears streaming down his cheeks.

Kairi's body trembled as she crawled over to him, slipping and sliding on gore and body matter as she frantically pulled at Sherlock's bindings, but her fingers were coated with blood and she couldn't find purchase. She howled in frustration and stared at her crimson hands and her breathing began to go wild. She closed her eyes, her shaking limbs frantically moving as she tried to inhale without choking. She leaned over and dry heaved for a little while, her entire body rejecting the events of the last few days. A sudden clarity shone behind her eyes and she scrambled over to Moran, pushing up his pant leg and pulling a knife from his boot. The body twitched slightly and Kairi screamed as she drove the knife into its leg, severing the femoral artery - almost completely by accident. Blood continued to seep out of the body, but it did not move or react at all to her blow. She yanked the knife back out of the corpse and with shaky breaths found her way to Sherlock.

She cut away his bindings and removed his gag and Sherlock sprang forward, knocking the knife from Kairi's grasp and pulling her to him in a desperate and painful hug. After a moment, Sherlock pulled back and used his sleeve to wipe the blood away from Kairi's face, using her tears to aid the process. Once she was mostly clean, he pulled her mouth to his and they met each other with frantic and desperate lips and tongues, crying against each other's mouths and not giving a damn about their next breath of air.

When they finally surfaced, light-headed from their kiss, they used the bed and chair to get to their feet, leaning on each other equally, as they stumbled out of the bedroom and into the main house. It looked pristine, it looked perfect, small and comfortable. It was a common house like any you've ever seen. You would never have guessed that it had been a torture chamber where rape and murder took place. Kairi shuddered against Sherlock and they limped over to the sofa and collapsed into it. Sherlock kissed Kairi on the forehead again and she trembled against him, her face contorting for a moment in despair. He stood slowly, grabbing a blanket to wrap her with while he went in search of a phone. When he found one he immediately called Mycroft who used every ounce of political gusto to trace their position immediately.

Sherlock left the line open, setting it on the simple counter and he limped back to Kairi, his lungs finally able to breathe completely. When he entered the room she had been in, she was no longer on the couch and his gut contracted so sharply it made his ribs hurt. He panted for a moment, trying to keep his vision clear as he stumbled around a table and chair.

She sat on the floor, in the center of the room, not touching anything, her arms wrapped around herself as she shook. Her eyes were wide and she rocked slowly on her bottom, using her toes to propel her. She looked up at Sherlock and he knelt down, not far away, but enough to give her some space. "Kairi?"

Her dead eyes focused for a moment and looked up at Sherlock, her face stained with blood and refuse sticking in her crimson stained hair, "He's really dead? Right?" She asked with a voice so small that it stung Sherlock severely. He nodded. Kairi looked away from him again, still rocking, still shivering, she nodded as well, "G-good. Good." She muttered and closed her eyes, only to open them a fraction of a second later with a shuddering whimper, "I couldn't use the b-blanket. It-it smelled...like-," She held back a sob, creating a low whine in her throat as tears formed in her eyes. She shook her head desperately, curling in on herself.

"They will be here soon. This will be taken care of and we can return home." He reached out to her and she flinched away from him, her breathing picking up as she rocked harder. Sherlock fisted his hand and dropped it. Not moving to get closer. He moved to a seated position, much like Kairi, and he watched her as she began to cry and her world fell apart.

Something that he could do absolutely nothing about.

* * *

Kairi had essentially gone into shock and she was wisked away in an ambulance, sedated until they could address her wounds and clean her up.

Sherlock had been marginally cleaned and patched up after the emergency services had taken her away. He wanted to go with her, but John insisted that he stay, get treated, and possibly give the doctors some room to work with her. He had assented but he didn't like it. In the pit of his stomach, there was a cold emptiness. The familiar emptiness had dissipated when Kairi had become an official part of his life. As the lights of the ambulance dimmed in the mounting distance between them, the coldness spread and his heart seemed to shatter.

He was taken to the hospital rather quickly, Mycroft and John riding in his ambulance with grim looks on their faces and sad eyes. He tried to ignore them, he tried to relish in the morphine they had given him for his wounds, but he kept reflecting back to Kairi, seeing her flinch away from his touch. It burned him in more ways that he could possibly recount and he felt a cold shell wrapping around his heart.

Once at the hospital, there was a flurry of action around him to stabilize him. He didn't feel all that unstable, just in a vast amount of pain. They patched up his shoulder and went about setting his ribs and cleaning his wounds. In a few long hours he was sitting in a hospital bed, trying to recover from the antibiotics and pain medication that were given to him during the closing of his wound.

Lestrade and John came in. Molly and Mycroft followed but Sherlock gave them a scowl. "You shouldn't be in here Mycroft, Molly. I don't want you here."

Mycroft nodded and turned swiftly, leaving the room in haste, but poor Molly looked devastated, standing by his bedside and fingering his blankets absently.

She was trembling and already beginning to cry. She put a hand over her mouth to hold in the sob that shook her entire frame. "I'm sorry - this is all my fault -," She began in choked words.

"Sherlock..." John begged.

Sherlock dropped his gaze, "Molly I need you to leave." He stated plainly, despite the shuddering sigh that ripped through John at his side.

Molly turned to leave but she was halted by a hand on her arm and a groan at her side. She turned back to Sherlock the shame painted upon her features as her tears fell freely. "I can't -"

Sherlock took a deep breath, "I do not hold you responsible for this, Molly." He finally looked up at her and his clear eyes met her red ones, "The events of the last few days are events that I only care to recount for an official record. It's a story, that if you wish to hear it, you would need to ask Kairi herself." Molly shook, watching Sherlock's eyes begin to water as he exhaled a shuddering breath, "I can't have you hear it. Not from me." He finished solemnly, his voice steady, but thick.

Molly nodded, stepping closer and pressing her lips to his forehead. She sniffled lightly turned on her heel and stalked out of the room with her head held as high as she could muster.

Lestrade cleared his throat as Sherlock relaxed back into his bed, settling in gingerly with a cold expression on his features. When he opened his eyes, they were sharp and focused on the detective and his blogger.

"Go on." Sherlock muttered a little annoyed.

Lestrade rolled his eyes, biting back the snarky remark on his tongue, "Tell me what happened."

Sherlock breathed in heavily and closed his eyes. On his exhale he recounted the story from the moment in the lab when he received Kairi's text:  _My love is as unchangeable as the Old Man and the Sea_. Sherlock immediately knew that something was wrong because Kairi did not lend herself to flowery imagery except in humorous or ironic ways. It took him ten seconds through his mind palace and minimal research for confirmation that Kairi was signaling him. The Old Man and the Sea referenced one of the many sons of Poseidon. Not only was there a hint to where she was going, but also that something was amiss. Throughout mythology and literature The Old Man and the Sea is a veritable whirlwind of changeability. Being that one of Poseidon's sons is Triton, Sherlock was able to deduce that she would be meeting Moran or had received a communique that would require her presence at Triton Fountain in Regent's Park. When he arrived at the fountain, Moran and Kairi had been fighting and Sherlock had rushed out to aid her when she fell to the ground.

During Moran, Kairi, and Sherlock's exchange, he had noticed that Moran had killed Appa and Kairi had tried to fight him. They exchanged words, specifying Kairi's release, but Moran ultimately shot Sherlock and subdued Kairi into unconsciousness.

This is when Sherlock had to go within and steel himself away, conceal all of his emotions. He recounted, with varying levels of detail, what he remembered from his captivity. He remained unchanged and cold as he spoke these words, telling John and Lestrade of what happened to him and Kairi during the last few days. He managed to keep himself together, to not reveal the level of brokeness that splintered him now. He felt more unstable than when he returned from death.

He felt more than dead, more than alone. Instead of nothingness, of the oblivion that people hoped for after death, he felt empty. A gaping, desperate emptiness that chilled his veins and held him rigid.

When he finished giving Lestrade the relevant facts, ignoring emotional interpretations for fear that he'd crumble upon the floor, a brittle and broken man, he looked up, opening his eyes, and realized his hands had been curled into fists, leaving red indentations in his palms from where his nails cut into his skin. He looked up to Lestrade and John, both of them red-eyed with tight expressions on their faces. They both looked pained. They both looked so sorry.

No one hurt more or felt more remorse over the last few days than Sherlock himself.

"When may I see her?" Sherlock muttered.

* * *

_Kairi held the gun in front of her, balancing her stance, tightening her grip on the butt of the gun as she took in a steady breath. As her lungs filled to capacity, her heart beat slowed and she was in a realm of perfect focus. When her eyes met Moran's, he smiled at her, daring her to just try._

_Moran didn't know how many times Kairi had placed at shooting competitions since he'd been off pillaging the world and murdering innocents. This she could thank her father for._

_On her exhale she squeezed the trigger as quickly and as effortlessly as possible._

_A scream resounded in her ears, victorious, broken, as she watched the bullets rip through Moran's chest, she adjusted her stance and continued spraying him with bullets, up his neck and she let out a guttural cry as they ripped through his face and head._

_Her breathing went ragged, she tugged on the trigger willing more bullets to materialize from the muzzle of the gun until Moran was nothing but red ribbons of flesh and matter._

Kairi opened her eyes, her heart rate machine going absolutely mad with the memory she had in sleep as she lay in the hospital. The satisfaction, the pain, the entire gruesome episode that left her shattered and empty haunted her now and she couldn't hide from it. She no longer had solace in Appa now that he was gone - an entirely new pain that made her feel like a broken child. She was so conflicted that it was making her dizzy: overjoyed, disgusted, victorious, defeated, madly in love, and terrified.

"I'm glad to see you're awake."

Kairi gasped, her heart rate going nuts again as she looked to her side and saw a familiar elderly face, hidden behind half-glasses and wearing a tweed jacket.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to frighten you. That wasn't very good of me, now was it?" Dr. Sherman asked and Kairi gave him a light chuckle. He had visited her every day this week and for some reason she never expected it. Probably because she was turning everyone else away.

She shifted in her bed, adjusting herself so she could sit up more and talk to her psychiatrist. "It's all right. Just about everything surprises me now." She muttered, "A week in a hospital, pumped full of drugs and poked and prodded... God, you'd think they'd have some sort of decency to not treat my body like a fucking pin cushion after getting raped and all." She felt shocked that the words came out of her mouth and she looked up at Dr. Sherman in surprise.

His eyes were wide and a small chuckle escaped his lips, "I believe most of my colleagues would call using such dark humor: deflection."

Kairi gave him a rueful smile. She appreciated him as a therapist. He was soft-spoken and kind, but he wasn't afraid to toss around f-bombs and essentially call Kairi out on her shit if need be. "Yeah I know. It's all on the inside though. I do this, put up a front, make people think I'm ok when on the inside I feel like I'm nothing but molten lead and broken glass." She stared down at her hands as they started shaking. "I keep fearing I'll never escape it this time doctor. Not after what -," She paused, gulping back some pain, "Moran did." She finished with a gag, just the name was enough to make her come undone.

"Well, you got through it before. I don't say that to imply the first time should be worse or something, no one should ever have a first time being raped. A second time seems more than fate being just cruel." He replied, "You are a highly intelligent and successful woman Kairi. As much as Moran desired to take all of that from you, he could not. In the end, you still prevailed. Now dealing with the rape and with justly killing Moran in self-defense, it will take some time to desensitize you towards those episodes. We will reach out to them when you are ready to do so, no sooner, no later. There is still a lot for us to discuss in therapy. You are still my patient, intelligent, beautiful, witty, and occasionally a pain in the arse." He chuckled and Kairi wiped away a tear as she laughed.

The chuckle crinkled her face just long enough for it to turn into a sob. She put her head in her hands and felt like the world was suffocating her, "I don't know what to do doctor. I'm so confused. I'm so scared and empty." She shook her head and looked up at him.

He nodded slowly, exhaling, "Well there's only so much you can deal with at one time. It's up to you to discover your tipping point." He sighed, "Personally, I think we should start small and rebuild your level of comfort slowly. I don't want you to become agoraphobic or anti-social... I don't think the world could possibly benefit without you in it, Kairi."

Kairi began to shake as she cried.

"I should have brought my equipment today." He muttered to himself and Kairi let out a chuckle.

"You aren't getting paid for this." She smiled through her tears and he joined her in a light laugh.

He stood slowly, "I will leave you to rest. Contact me when you return home. We shall continue our sessions. Don't worry about paying me either, it's all being handled by the court."

Kairi looked shocked, "The court?" The idea of her case, what Sherlock and Kairi had endured, coming out to the public, to be on display for the masses made her feel more than physically ill.

Dr. Sherman nodded though he seemed hesitant, "Yes, its been a busy week Ms. Aria. I'm sure you'll hear about it soon."

Kairi frowned.

"Oh speak of the devil!" Dr. Sherman smiled and he opened the door.

Kairi didn't know how to react.

"Hello Sherlock." She said in barely a whisper..

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> * * *
> 
> **_A/N  
>  I know a lot of you were expecting Sherlock to deliver the final blow. I'm not really all that sorry if you are disappointed because in the end, Kairi was the one that NEEDED to do it. I hope you can come to understand just how important it was for her character to be the one to destroy Moran. As much as Sherlock wants to protect her, Kairi is the protagonist of this story. I know its a Sherlock Fandom, but the story revolves around Kairi and her relationship with Sherlock was obviously part of why I started writing it, but in the end it became about establishing a strong female character "worthy" of Sherlock's love and Sherlock breaking through his rough exterior and cold affect to truly care about someone. I'm not saying any woman needs to be "worthy" of anyone's love, so please don't misunderstand that. Kairi, for many reasons, needed to be the one to save herself... I don't think she would ever be able to get over it if she hadn't. She doesn't need to be indebted to anyone and I think that after her disposing of Moran she will be able to become stronger. I think Sherlock will respect her for that in so many more ways because she is no damsel, she is more resilient than he ever thought a human could be._ **
> 
> **_The next chapter is the last of this story... Please review and let me know what you think. If you have any one shot prompts I would be happy to do so...These prompts can be for anyone in anyone's perspective as I'd like that practice in writing different perspectives in more detail. It doesn't have to be Sherlock/Kairi, it can be John, Molly, Mycroft, Lestrade and even Moran (there is a complexity to this character in my mind that I've only shared with a few people, so if you want to understand him more, I'd be willing to explain)..._ **
> 
> **_AS FOR PROMPTS: Marisol was my 200th review and so I took her Prompt (Why/How Sherlock chose Kairi's christmas gift) and wrote up a nice little one shot. It is in my story "The Softer Sides of Insanity" on my profile. I recommend following that if you are willing as I will place one shots tangentially related to BiB &W there. Congrats Marisol and thank ALL OF YOU for reviewing._ **
> 
> **_Thank you all for being with me through this... This story has been an integral part of my life and feeling at peace during an exceedingly trying time. My characters or interpretations have been created to do justice to the Sherlock Universe while also flushing out personalities and pushing forward for development. I ardently adore the universe and it holds a very special place in my heart just as is. Thank you for allowing me to share this with you. Thank you so very much. The final chapter is coming soon._ **


	41. The End

"Hello Sherlock." Kairi whispered softly, shaking slightly while looking up at the shadow of the young detective standing by her psychiatrist. He stepped forward, nodding to Dr. Sherman and he turned back to her, a faint smile on his lips that reached his eyes. As usual, he dressed in his full suit and coat.

"I'll be going then," Dr. Sherman smiled, "Kairi, Sherlock." He nodded, then added, "Remember contact me about sessions."

"Of course." They replied in unison and Dr. Sherman smiled, nodding and making his exit.

Kairi looked at Sherlock quizzically. It surprised her and it didn't, to hear that Sherlock would be doing sessions - granted what they went through was definitely classified as huge physical and psychological trauma, then again, Sherlock was Sherlock, you never could tell. For the past week she had been in and out of consciousness, exhausted and deranged, leaving her unstable and weepy and refusing visitors. She was adamant about keeping Sherlock away. At first she didn't know how she would react to him, but it all felt like static in her brain. She glared at him, "You got shot, how the hell are you out of here before me?"

When he got closer, clearing his throat and standing at his full height, Kairi noticed he winced slightly. His skin was pale and a little clammy. "I checked myself out." Kairi looked down, enjoying the sound of his voice as it caressed her ears, fingering her sheet as Sherlock sat by her bedside, stiff and unmoving.

Kairi frowned, "I wanted to do that and Molly said she'd do a live autopsy on me if I tried."

He chuckled slightly, "Yes, John knows better than to threaten me. There's very little that scares me." His voiced cracked while finished the sentence. He cleared his throat and refocused, "I have been diligently avoiding Molly for fear of her doting."

Kairi sighed out a small, shaky laugh, feeling anxiety bubble in her chest. She wanted so badly for him to hold her, she wanted to kiss him and hug him and have wild passionate sex on every surface known to human kind, but at the same time she felt so fragile, so afraid. She wasn't sure she'd let anyone touch her like that ever again. She cleared her throat, trying to push back tears, because she desperately wanted the comfort of Sherlock's touch, "You've been busy, says Sherman..."

Sherlock nodded, adjusting in his seat and she watched his cheek twitch, grinding his teeth as if in pain. She frowned at him, wanting to reach out and comfort him, but she stopped herself. "Yes, I've been... making arrangements." He finally replied, his tone vague and unimportant.

Kairi frowned again, looking up and watching him avoid her gaze. "For?"

He slouched slightly, a pensive look as he stared down at her bandaged hand. "Do you still love me?"

Kairi's eyes went wide and she sputtered, "Sherlock I'm on so many drugs, did you just ask me if I still love you?"

His eyes flickered to hers nervously and he placed a finger to his lips. "Yes. I did. If your judgement is clouded I can return another day."

Kairi frowned and shook her head, placing a hand to the bridge of her nose in confusion, not annoyance, "No, no that's not it. I mean - maybe - but no - I don't want you to leave. It's great to see you. A part of me has really missed you."

At this, Sherlock leaned forward and tentatively reached out for Kairi, her heart beat monitor started beeping frantically so he began to retreat until Kairi's hand shot out and grabbed his.

He froze while she sat there, gripping his hand with her eyes forced shut, breathing deeply while she shook and fought off her tears, the room echoed with the rapid beeping of her monitoring machine. She opened her eyes, looking sad and exhausted and frantic, her heart beat gradually slowing down.

Sherlock could only stare. "I'm sorry..." He murmured.

Kairi sighed, her breath shaky on the exhale, "It's not your fault..." She finished with a broken sob.

He adjusted in his seat again, "Tell me that I may hold you..." He practically whispered.

Kairi let out another sob, shaking her head as she gripped his hand, "I-I can't Sherlock. Not yet."

He adjusted in his chair, leaving his hand still, though he desperately wanted to grip her fingers in his, press them to his mouth, and feel them on his face. He sighed heavily and looked up at her with as much compassion as he could muster, "I understand that this is more than just difficult for you." Kairi looked up at him through the tears, "I, myself have residual pain, more than just physical, because of what we endured - of what you endured because of me." His voice was smooth and controlled as Kairi watched him speak, but his right hand was fisted on his knee, "These arrangements I have been making have been dependent on your state of mind and well-being." He cleared his throat.

"On me?" Kairi shuddered.

Sherlock nodded, "Mycroft and I went through your father's files and we discovered who had been in charge of this entire farce. The man who is responsible for Moran's indiscretions being swept under the rug is now being fully charged, receiving a court-martial, and imprisoned." He finished with venom.

"Because of you?" Kairi whispered, looking up at Sherlock and squeezing his hand. He returned the squeeze and she flinched. He looked at her apologetically and she nodded to him with a weak smile.

"Yes, because of me." Sherlock intoned. "We are ensuring the government will cover any and all medical costs as well as therapy. You'll be receiving a monthly stipend which is not outrageous enough to live on, but they will be paying what they endeared  _psychological damages_  caused by their inaction." He shifted again with displeasure lacing his tone, a small grimace from the pain, "This would prove useful if you decide to travel or...relocate." He finished in a soft broken tone.

Kairi's eyes shot back to him, she hated that word the moment it came out of his mouth, "You said that these arrangements you have been making depend on me. What you mentioned sounds like accomplishments. What is the arrangement then?" She looked at him skeptically.

He smirked at her, "You really are very perceptive."

Kairi joked, "Maybe some genius, consulting detective rubbed off on me a little."

Sherlock chuckled softly, tracing a gentle finger on the inside of Kairi's wrist and her heart beat sped up. He looked to her face, to apologize, but he found a familiar blush creeping up her neck as she stared down at their joined hands. He tried not to seem elated so he pulled his hand away, she looked sad and thankful. Clearing his throat, he continued, "My brother requires my assistance for a case."

Kairi rose an eyebrow, "You'd rather saw off your own leg than work for your brother."

Sherlock chuckled again, putting a single finger to the side of his nose, "Perceptive." He nodded and Kairi laughed.

"What's this case and why does it seem like... I don't know, a punishment? You haven't done anything wrong." She looked at him seriously and saw his face twist in a flicker of sadness.

"I have elected to accept it because of the recent events..." He took a deep breath, "The case will lead me out of the country for a brief time. John will possibly join me throughout that time, but mostly he will remain in London."

Kairi's eyes went wide and a lump formed in her throat, "Oh."

Sherlock looked at her for some sort of hint to her emotions, but she just seemed blank. "Oh?"

Kairi glanced at him with a chuckle, "I'm sorry, it's just sudden... I don't -," Kairi stopped, shaking her head.

Sherlock cleared his throat again, "I elected to take this case because I was under the impression that you would need time to heal from this process. As do I." He added quickly and with a sigh he continued, "I wanted to give you the opportunity to gain respite from my presence."

Kairi opened her mouth, "I don't -," She stopped herself, not knowing how to continue. The static returned, screaming at her to beg him to stay, prodding at her to let him leave.

He smiled ruefully and nodded, "I know. It's essentially how this situation affects me as well." He closed his eyes tightly and when he opened them, he stared directly into Kairi's pale eyes. His were nebulous today, blue and green and brown all dancing together, making her feel so perfectly at home and so very afraid, "If you desired it, I would leave. If you require time to heal without me, I will remove myself from you." He finished solemnly and when he blinked there was a slight smile on his lips, "If you required my distance and I stayed in London, I would not be able to leave you alone. You don't need my protection Kairi, you are strong enough without it, but I would not be able to part with you for a moment. I could not cleave myself from your side for fear of losing you." His voice seemed strained, almost cracking on the last word.

Kairi felt the tears welling in her eyes, "I can't ask you to leave. London is your home! That's not fair!" She felt her breath catch in her chest, "I should be the one to leave!" She added angrily, "All of this is because of me anyway."

"That is simply not true. Your presence in London has been nothing short of a miracle to me - and I do not usually invest in insipid mythology." He said quietly and looked up to meet her eyes again. They shared a small smile and he chuckled, "I'm too afraid of you never returning if you decided to leave."

Kairi let out a bitter giggle through her tears, "Damn you, Sherlock Holmes, you know me too well."

He smiled and let out a small laugh, "I do."

"I don't know how to get through this, Sherlock." She shook her head, "I'm absolutely terrified."

He nodded, a tear escaping his eye, "Yes, I know."

She looked up at him, pained, "Sherman told you, didn't he? He told you that I said I'd need time?" He gave her a nervous twitch of affirmation and she chuckled lightly, "So much for doctor-patient confidentiality."

Sherlock chuckled at that and wiped at his face, "I would stay, I would pester you, I would become the brilliant, self-centered arsehhole I always am, because of my innate ability to compartmentalize." He growled and looked back at Kairi who was pained, "If I stayed, I would be with you and I would L-," He choked on the words floating in his mind and settled into silence, staring at his lap. "If you want me to stay, I will gladly do so. If you need me to leave, I will, with less gusto, but leave none the less," He looked up to see a rueful smile twitching on her lips, fighting for purchase against her sob "I just want you to stay in London, this is your home just as much as mine. If you leave here..." He paused again looking down at his shaking hands.

Kairi felt her chest tighten and she threw herself back on the bed with a huff as tears slid down her cheeks, "This isn't fair."

Sherlock leaned back as well, staring at the ceiling and wishing for a cigarette to clasp between his fingers, " _Life is pain highness, anyone who says differently is selling something._ "

Kairi sat up sharply, staring at Sherlock who was watching imaginary smoke with a coy grin on his lips, "Did you just make a stunning pop culture reference about our ridiculous emotional tragedy using one of my favorite stories ever?"

"Possibly." He replied flatly with a small smile.

"Where did you find it? I have a hard time believing it was a favorite of yours growing up." She scowled at him jokingly while wiping away her tears.

"I read it on your kindle that first night you drank yourself into a stupor and invited me to stay." He glanced at her and she let out a hiccuping laugh that ended in a sob.

"Sherlock..." She sobbed again and he sat up, reaching out to her but halting his hand before it went to far. "I think its wise for you to go. To give me time. I think it's the nicest thing anyone could do for me right now. You mean everything to me but I'm so scared. I can't be touched, I can't breathe or cry or move because it's all so tainted. I can't love you properly because it feels so hopeless in the face of this crushing weight on my chest." She ground it out through her tears, "I can't be with you like this. I can't love you like this. I am so broken by what Moran did to me. By what I did to him. By what I've done to you. I can't love you when I hate myself so purely." She bit her lip harshly and Sherlock tutted at her, "I know you can manage what happened, I know you can work through it and forgive me, but I'm afraid that I wont be able to, I'm afraid it will consume me. I hate myself for what happened to you, to Appa, to myself - even to Moran." She dropped her head and cried for a moment, taking in a shuddering breath to refocus, "I'm a killer and a victim. I never wanted any of this!" She practically screamed. Sherlock edged closer and she looked up at him pleadingly, "If you stay I will either hide inside of you and lose myself or I will ruin us. I want you to go so that you can come back to  _me_! Not whatever the hell this is." She gestured at all of herself.

Sherlock held back his tears as he watched Kairi cry. Her body was shaking and heaving and she was gripping the sheets with white knuckles, holding in her screams.

She hated everything. She wanted to die. She wanted to be held. She didn't want anyone to so much as look at her. She wanted to be invisible. She wanted to be important, to feel loved. She didn't feel lovable. All of this waring inside of her was tearing her apart. She couldn't focus, couldn't breath. She didn't feel like she could never see the sunrise after this. Everything was wrong. He leaned forward and put a gentle hand next to hers on the bed. He watched slowly as she stretched out provisional fingers, letting her skin brush against Sherlock's for a few seconds before she pulled her hand away and sighed.

"Would it be cliche to say  _as you wish_?" He smiled at her with wet eyes.  Kairi laughed bitterly at him, shaking her head as a staggering sigh escaped her lips.

They sat in silence for quite some time.

"Before you go..." She whispered, "I'd very much like you to hold me."

He stood slowly, removing his coat and suit jacket, and stepping out of his shoes. She scooted in the bed and Sherlock laid down next to her, on his side. She faced him and she bit her lip to keep herself from crying. She was already shaking as she looked at him with desperate, terror-filled eyes.

"We don't have t-,"

"Do shut up, Sherlock." Kairi rasped through tears. He clamped his mouth shut, watching the war rage within her and letting her cry. After the exhaustion set and her sobs had ebbed, Kairi reached out, stopping herself more than once before she finally pushed her hand at his face, sort of knocking him back a bit. She winced and he tried not to smile, "Sorry."

"It's no matter." Sherlock smiled, using a phrase he knew she disliked, watching her face twitch with affectionate annoyance. He reached up slowly and grasped her hand around the wrist with the lightest fingers possible and placed her hand gently on his face. He closed his eyes and relished in her touch and she let him. She catalogued it as well, remembering the way he made her feel once upon a time, the way he makes her want to feel again. She would not forget it, because she loved him. She would not hide from her pain because it would leave no space for him. She wanted nothing more to carve out this rotten chunk of her heart that tainted her life for the past twenty-eight years. It would leave her gaping and raw and vulnerable, but she'd do it. She would rage against the monsters in her mind. She wouldn't do it for him, she'd do it for herself, because she deserved to be utterly, hopelessly loved.

"You didn't answer my question..." He said softly as they were drifting to sleep, each one with their hands resting on the other's neck and face - the only part of them touching. "Do you still love me?"

Kairi sighed, a slight smile on her lips, "Always. No matter what."

"Always." Sherlock replied, but this time, it wasn't a repetition, it wasn't an echo of Kairi's intonation. This time it was an agreement. This time, he meant it.

They sunk into a happy silence, their bodies resting and breathing with a remnant of freedom for the first time in what felt like months. Moran was no longer looming over their heads. He was a new kind of shadow that they needed to be rid of, but this time it would only end in peace instead of suffering. Like always, constantly repelling and attracting, Sherlock Holmes and Kairi Aria would be pushed apart by the poignant sadness that had walled itself between them. They stood on opposite sides, broken and bloodied from bashing it with their fists and bodies, but for now, they would walk away from it. They would come back to the wall when they were both at peace or at least closer to it.

Kairi would wake up in the hospital alone. She would return to work and pester Mycroft about frivolous jobs he'd put her on. She'd go home, greet Mrs. Hudson for tea and if she were lucky, John would be home for a short while to visit with Molly and to tend to the house. They would sit and have tea in silence, interrupted by wry humor and warm smiles. They were both broken people healing from more than just physical wounds. In this way, being close to John, she would be a little bit closer to Sherlock. Or at least that's what she would pretend.

Kairi would feel the overwhelming sadness as the weeks began to pass and Sherlock Holmes was absent from her life. She would continue her therapy and her anxiety would soon begin to decrease. She would learn how to eat again and begin to exercise. She would feel different. She would feel new now that Moran was no longer owned her. She would learn to live as herself and not as his puppet. The life she was just beginning would be vastly different from the one before she killed Moran and the transition would still be something that pained her. Taking a life, no matter how necessary at the time, is something that changes you, darkens you. Kairi had lost her innocence in so many ways, but in the end she did not lose her soul. She was broken and fragile, lost in a world that so often held so many different meanings to her.

It would be a painful reminder - looking at people passing by, working day to day with people who had too much or none at all; staring into eyes that reflected her sadness or ones that shined with hope; days where shadows would creep in on her and break her heart; days where she'd think she'd see the tails of a dark coat flapping in the wind as it disappeared around a corner. This would be her proof, the admonition that people do not emerge into this world pre-written. It would serve to remind her that indiviuals are authors of their own stories, required to take command and dictate which direction they will travel. Humans are characters doomed to fail and destined for greatness and everything in between, as a whole, humans are not born in black and white.

* * *

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **_A/N  
>  The end...My heart breaks to say that...It breaks and its hopeful. I loved this story so much, it has so much meaning to me. I have to ardently thank the readers who have been avidly consuming this story from day one and those of you who joined in a bit later, but were ardently involved in my process and discussing this story. Even the guests and the anons who I wish I could have responded to, I thank you for being here. Those that lurked, I am honored that you took the time to read my story. I don't care so much for review numbers but I do very much like talking to my readers and discussing stories. So forgive me for that :)_ **
> 
> **_I hope that you enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it. The next story will be much more about Kairi and Sherlock rebuilding themselves and finding one another again. I think they will both be so different from this. I'm sorry to disappoint those who wanted Sherlock to say the L word, but I think he believes if he says it now it will be tainted - at least in Kairi's mind. To her, he's always loved her and she never needed the affirmation because she knew... I think now its about rediscovering themselves and learning to be able to love each other in the right ways. I don't think a tragedy like this can immediately result in a good relationship. As much as this is my imagining, my realistic interpretation of this relationship is one I want to last. I want them to learn to be happy because they deserve it (and in reference to the show, I feel like Sherlock may never get to be truly happy...though I hope so [I dont mean romance for him, but dealing with his PTSD and learning to enjoy life and understand himself better])_ **
> 
> **_Also please check out The Softer Sides of Insanity on my profile, I've updated a new one shot based on why Sherlock chose Kairi's Christmas gift... This is an homage to Marisol Akyri who was my 200th reviewer and done so at he request._ **
> 
> **_If there ideas you have, things you want to discuss, my inbox is always open and I LOVE to go into detail about my interpretations. I'd also be up for willing to discuss aspects of the sequel or things you feel need to be done/said between the two while reconnecting. I have the story moderately planned out, I think they'll get a chance at a bit of Sherlockian romance instead of being thrust together and confused by their attraction. Now they know what they feel for each other, but there is a valley between them. Sherlock and Kairi will have much to deal with and there will be a bit of angst, but not nearly as much..._ **
> 
> **_Thank you all so much..._ **


	42. Did you miss me?

**Epilogue**  -  _Six Months Later_

"How are you supposed to plan a wedding when the soon-to-be-husband's away?" The voice chimed as they opened the door to the small one bedroom flat.

"That's the fun of it! Though its not as if it matters to him. Weddings can be boring, he just wants to show up and have it be done with. He just wants me to have the day I want." The woman chuckled as she carried in bags and dropped them unceremoniously onto the floor. "I should make him wear pink for such a flippant attitude."

Molly smiled, looking around Kairi's flat, comfortable and happy that her friend was successfully re-emerging from her despair. It had taken six months for Kairi to get back to being comfortable around John and then Lestrade, her hugs were becoming more natural and she began to sarcastically flirt with them on rare occasions. Everyone was happy to see that she was taking her life seriously these days. She decided to start exercising, sometimes rather vigorously, but in the end it helped with her stress and anxiety. She also started working part-time at an underprivileged school, tutoring delinquent children the basics of computer science and web design so they would have an opportunity to join a proper work force. She had a consultant status with Mycroft which kept her pretty well cushioned - though she lamented often that he was too uppity to tell her where Sherlock had gone. It was a long six months of confusion and longing.

Molly and Kairi would spend many nights together while John was away on some mysterious errand for the elusive Sherlock Holmes. Molly would soothe Kairi when she had a nightmare, they'd talk, and laugh and make plans. For probably the first time in her life, Kairi was actually making plans. She loved London, but she wanted to travel a little again. She wasn't sure when she would get around to it with all the planning to be done; she still felt terrified to be alone, but eventually that pain would subside. Eventually she'd be able to live and be happy to do so. Eventually she'd stop merely surviving. The next year or so might be that time.

This afternoon was a unique day when they arrived at Kairi's flat littered with some shopping. Every once and a while, Kairi would enter her flat and her home would smell of old books and mint and gunpowder and cigarettes. She'd chuckle at the notion, that he'd stop by long enough to let her know he was there, watching over her some how. It was either that or John and Molly would somehow bottle the smell of Sherlock Holmes to spritz around her flat. It should creep her out, but it was one of the few things that made her feel truly safe.

She missed him dearly.

Every so often she would allow herself thoughts of Sherlock. In recent months, she'd fall asleep and see his face in front of hers, pained and crying and bruised and beaten. Those moments where hurt just seemed to seep from him, haunted her greatly. She was only just recently able to remember what he looked like when he gave her a genuine smile. She was finally able to steal away moments where she could feel his hands on her again and not feel ashamed or sick. It was slow-moving, but it was progress. The small realization that thinking about him didn't have to hurt, was beginning to build. The larger realization of her love for him and his devotion to her was still something that stung in her chest. She didn't want to hope for love, she didn't want set herself up for some sort of catastrophic failure. The fear of losing him, at this point, was sharper than her love for him and it was unfair to love someone like that.

"Oh, what's this?" Molly muttered and Kairi turned from her kitchen counter to see Molly standing in her bedroom doorway. "You've got a box."

Kairi frowned, she hadn't been expecting a package and she felt herself go a little light-headed, "A box?"

Molly walked in and Kairi followed, "Yeah, its got some kind of orchid on it or something." She picked up the flower and showed it to Kairi who smiled and teared up.

She looked at the box with a top that pulled right off and walked up to it and slowly opened it. She looked down and gasped, tears welling in her eyes as she took in the black and brown brindled fur of a lazily sleeping puppy.

"Oh my..." Molly leaned in, muttering with a soft, broken voice.

Kairi leaned down and hefted the large puppy out of the box and it barely stirred before nuzzling against her and returning to sleep. She looked up at Molly with wide, wet eyes and she laughed softly. They went into the front room and sat by the fireplace, gazing at the stocky build and shining fur. Kairi inspected the pup closely, finding it to be a him, she was shocked at his large paws, crinkly skin, floppy ears, and relatively blunt nose. As she traced her fingers over the soft fur of his back, he stretched against her lap and kicked out his leg as an automatic reflex to her gentle scratches. He was a mutt if she'd ever seen one, but the shape of his head said something of the pitt bull family and the size of his feet indicated possibly an elephantine relative or if she were lucky, a mastiff.

She scratched his floppy ears and he rolled in her lap, curling up in an awkward ball on his back so she could rub his belly. It took him a moment, but he finally stirred, yawning loudly as his eyes blinked open and he looked up at Kairi with a wide doggie-grin and a flapping tongue. He flailed in her lap for purchase and began to sniff her diligently, licking at her skin every so often as if to gauge her taste. She placed him on the ground and he began to trot around, sniffing everything and getting remnants of Appa. As if recognizing the previous dog's devotion, he trotted back over to Kairi and sat in front of her, tilting his head to the side.

"Dear Lord he bought you a puppy..." Molly said in a whisper and Kairi glanced up at her with wide, wet eyes.

"He bought me a puppy." She repeated, chuckling, and patted her lap, allowing the dog to settle on her. "We will have to start obedience courses soon." She smiled wide and rubbed his belly. He rolled slightly to allow her more access, yawning as he peeked up at her and started biting at the dangling strings of her sweatshirt.

"You think they have those courses for humans? Might be a good investment. I hope this is all right." Molly added with a soft joking tone, "I swear we didn't know he'd do this."

Kairi nodded, "It's fine. It's perfect really." She sighed with tears in her eyes, "I've wanted another dog, but I couldn't bring myself to look at any prospects. I felt like I was trying to replace him." She paused with a thick voice. Thinking of the loss of Appa still stung brutally.

Molly nodded, "Of course you aren't. He surely doesn't think he's a replacement." She chuckled and pointed at the puppy who was wriggling in Kairi's lap, trying to lick at her hand caressing his belly.

there was a silence that permeated the room, melancholy and elated all at once. The pup continued to adore his new mistress as Molly sat by and observed.

"Well, what's his name?" Molly chuckled and the pup looked up at her quizzically.

Kairi reached a hand out and traced along the brand new, bright red collar around his neck. It had a metal name tag, looped around the material with an engraving. "Toby." Kairi smiled.

 

**TOBY**

**If lost, please return to Kairi or Sherlock**

**221 Baker Street, London**

 

* * *

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **A/N  
>  HAPPY VALENTINES DAY!**
> 
> **I hope I didn't surprise any of you too much with this. I know its a bit mean "did you miss me" but well, as all of you know, I'm kind of evil. I'm still enjoying my pause from writing, I'm hoping to get a new laptop soon and perhaps if it comes sooner than later I can christen it with a first chapter of my next installment... Please continue to comment and such. I'd love for the story to get higher on the list so I may get more critique on my writing. For my long standing readers, I miss our conversations dearly and am looking forward to he next story. To my new readers, I hope you enjoyed this! The next one should be along soon and do check out the companion one shot story on my profile "The Softer Sides of Insanity"**
> 
> **To be continued my loves... Keep this story on Follow or follow me as an author, when my first chapter is posted, I will cross post here :D**


	43. Sequel Up!

Hello Sweeties!

Sequel is up, under the title Beauty in the Broken!

Enjoy!


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